Revelations
by Jezzaanne
Summary: She and her Partner Howlback were once formidable Decepticon Frontliners in the War for Cybertron, now, she's moreorless a Prisoner on Earth bound by her morals and respect for a certain Autobot. No matter how hard she tries to escape the binds of evil that connects her to the Decepticon's, they always seem to find her. OC/Bee.. Bayverse mixed with G1 and Animated
1. Chapter 1

**Hey ho everybody.**

**Its me again... :/ Writing yet again and twisting yet another fandom. This time, writing right out of my usual anime fandoms and giving in to my raging Transfan within.**

**So just a pilot chapter to start off with and lets see how this goes.. This does involve an OC, my creation of Renegade. I think she will tie in quite nicely to the story and I'm not trying to make her Mary-Sue or anything (Shudders at the word)! Also! There is a character in there by the name of Howlback, she is a real character, kind of like the panther sister 'Bot of Ravage in the first cartoon of Transformers. So dont say to me that she isnt real cause she is :)**

**So just to state, this isnt going to be a lovey dovey, Transformers fall on Earth and everything is swell kind of thing. Im trying to integrate the severity of War into the story and write just how much pain it causes all our fav 'Bots. There never seems to be any back story to any story I have read. So I'm trying to make this sad and real. After all they are in a War arent they?**

**Anyway, all rights go to Hasbro except Renegade, she's mine :)**

**Ignore any mistakes that might arise, I tend not to spot them in my own writing.**

**Pretty please review and leave feedback, it sorta leaves me jaded and wonders if i should keep writing 'said' story. So drop in a comment and keeps me going :)**

**Enjoy everyone.**

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><p>.Cybertron.<p>

::Report Renegade Frontslayer::

There was another echoing boom which shook the very core of the planet. More screams rose up from the devastation below and the constant flashes and bangs of dangerous cannons ceased to stop. It was war.

Many had died and the casualties were in the hundreds of thousands, possibly millions.

The war against the Autobots and the Decepticon's that had destroyed the planet and annhilated the Cybertronian Race.

::Renegade Frontslayer?::

The on the Femme's side was quiet and there was a loud roar of fury from the Decepticon Main Base.

"Femme won't reply from over Link! Starscream! Get out there and find that Fragging Femme!"

There was a loud crash and the clanging of equipment as it hit the floor.

Starscream cringed and grit his sharp metal teeth as he watched the little equipment he had before bowing his head and refrained from hissing as he muttered;

"Yes Lord Megatron."

Starscream left the room and out to the carnage beyond the tower and Megatron tried one last time, his patience wearing thin.

::Frontslayer answer me IMMEDIATELY!"

'Silence'

Another roar filled the room and Megatron flung more of Starscream's equipment across the room before striding back to the window and looking out to the orange horizon beyond. Fire reached the sky and it had been that way for more than a century now.

It was how Megatron liked it.

The less Autobots there were, the closer he was to world domination.

::Barricade do you copy?::

::Barricade here:: The loyal Decepticon follower whispered over the and Megatron spoke to him roughly relaying his orders.

::Do you understand?::

There was a brief second of silence before Barricade answered; ::Yes my...Lord::.

Megatron turned away from the window and watched some of the Seeker Decepticon's come streaming from the sky, their large winglike frames enabling to glide and surprise their target. There was another explosion and Megatron snarled and his frame rumbled in anger.

"I'll get you Prime and I will not stop until I crush you and your Autobots!"

::Starscream Incoming::

::What is it Starscream?::

::My Lord!"

Starscream's voice sounded doubtful and Megatron was ready for his insolent Subordinates antics, already planning a suitable punishment for the Scientist before Starscream said over his .Link.

::We have a problem. Its Renegade::

She moved quickly, her wheels screeched as she hit the corner and she rushed into the building, her spark burning her throat.

She knew she was disobeying orders and ignoring Megatron was the last thing any Decepticon ever wanted to do. But she couldn't allow this to happen, it was against her core. She had to stop it.

It was called Youth Sector Delta 39. This was the main centre on Cybertron that housed the Youngling's and the Sparkling's. It was where Creators trusted the Femme Caregivers to take care of their Sparkling's.

Renegade had heard orders from Megatron Joor's ago that he had the plans to destroy it and she had taken quick action to try and prevent it.

She burst through the doors and the Femme's were instantly on high alert and they pointed small guns to her. Frontslayer wasn't fazed, she was used to war and a Decepticon, she was far superior to those around her; and they knew that as well.

They began to hide the Youngling's and Frontslayer held out her clawed hands and said in a desperate voice. "You have to get out of here, everybody! You are all in danger." She was continued to be ignored as more Youngling's were ushered back to their berth's and Frontslayer jerked her hand towards the front doors of the Sector.

"The other Decepticon's are coming to destroy you. Heed me out."

She continued to be ignored from the other Femme's and she lost her cool before drawing out her cannon and aimed it for the roof. She blew a hole right through it, rattling the building and frightening all the Youngling's.

"Listen to me!"

Renegade glared at all the Caregivers cradling Sparkling's and the Youngling's ducking for cover and she said "There isn't much time; you have to get out of here...immediately."

"How can we trust you?" A Nurse shot at her "You are a Decepticon, you will deceive us!"

Renegade was acutely aware of the incoming blasts coming towards the Centre and her voice rose a few octaves.

"I am a Femme like everybody else in this Sector and I care about the Welfare of our young. Now heed me out and believe when I say that Megatron has ordered Mech's to come obliterate you and the Sparkling's."

There were gasps and murmurs of fright among the Femmes and Renegade pointed to the back doors and said "Grab the Sparkling's and the Youngling's and get out of here. Please do not stay on Cybertron any longer. Get out and hide!"

She spun around when the front doors burst open and she saw some of her female Subordinates standing there. Their optics fluttered in confusion when they saw her and Renegade made the gut wrenching decision to send them away as well.

There was another explosion and one of Renegade's Faction rushed forward. "Orders Frontslayer?" she said urgently and the Leader of the Female Decepticon's looked to her Faction then back to the Nurses.

"Star-Rider you and the others continue to help the other Femme's get the Sparkling's out. We have to hurry; Megatron will already know that I will be up to something."

Star-Rider nodded and rushed back inside of the building to help the Nurses get the precious cargo out.

A nurse came up to Renegade and placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered in a bold voice "You don't deserve to be on the Decepticon's Renegade, you are far too soft hearted to be one of those monsters."

Renegade felt her spark shutter against its casing before she ushered the Nurse back inside. "I chose who I want to be" she said grimly "I am a Decepticon and nothing will change that, but I am also a Femme who has the primal need to protect the young."

Nobody challenged her on that and Renegade spun around when there was a loud bang that sounded outside the Sector. She glided out on her wheels and looked up to see Starscream land on the ledge above her and Renegade's optics flickered dangerously.

"I suppose Megatron already knows that I'm up to something?"

Starscream didn't deny to that and Renegade knew that trouble was about to ensue. She was calm and collected, she knew how to compose and act around the Mech who was notorious for his quick temper. Instead he only hissed;

"You are interfering in Lord Megatron's orders you have your own orders to attend to. Acting like 'Auto Scum' is not one of them."

Renegade's optics flickered once more before she said darkly. "Following orders Screamer? It makes me wonder what _you _are up to."

Starscream flinched slightly; he knew that Renegade was second to Megatron and the Leader of the Female Decepticon's. She wasn't a Femme to be messed around with.

"Move aside Renegade" he hissed and there was a rumble and Frontslayer was sick to her core when she saw Barricade, Thundercracker and Skywarp jump down from the ledge above her. The Mech's began to fire at the Sector and the shrieks of pain from the defenceless Sparkling's almost broke the Femme's Audio Receptors.

The Primal need to protect Sparkling's overcame her better conscience and she shouted "What orders are these? To wipe out our defenceless? They are Sparkling's; our future!" The only one that seemed to hesitate was Barricade, but that was only for a fraction of a millisecond before he began to fire up his cannons.

Without even thinking, Renegade sped forward and grasped Barricade's cannons in her clawed hands wrenching it towards the sky. The Plasma was shot into the sky and all was quiet for a second before Thundercracker shouted;

"Orders Frontslayer. Megatron has willed it and we have to destroy Sector Delta 39!"

This didn't sit well with the Femme. She was hardwired to protect and nurture Sparkling's; Decepticon or not. The fires continued and that's when Renegade's systems went into overdrive and went into her Volatile state.

With a savage snarl, Renegade jumped back and the large black carry case that was fused with her neck and back began to twist and break away from her.

When Renegade went Volatile, she released another 'Bot by the name of Howlback.

She was the exact copy and twin of Ravage. The Panther Twins.

Howlback was stronger than her brother, having fused with Renegade and sharing bonds and the Warrior's power.

She jumped away from Renegade and also being a Femme, killing Sparkling's didn't sit with her and she was able to see the distress rolling off Renegade in waves.

With a savage roar, Howlback lunged forward and went to attack the more dim-witted 'Cons. Skywarp jumped behind Thundercracker and cried out;

"It's the Howler!"

Sure enough, Howlback was only small but she could give Mech's five times her size a run for their money. She was incredibly fast and agile on her feet, even Optimus Prime wouldn't dare bat an optic towards Howlback.

The Panther sprung forward with a savage roar and latched onto Thundercracker's chest and began to rip the casing off with her lethal claws. She got to the delicate wires underneath and Skywarp began to clumsily try to aim for her.

Then as quick as a flash, she disappeared over his shoulder and began to attack his feet. Thundercracker fell backwards and fell into Skywarp and they fell into a mangled heap. Howlback didn't even flutter an optic before she was off towards Barricade.

Renegade looked up with horror and saw Starscream lift his cannons. He was not a Mech to mess with and Frontslayer knew right away.

"Howl!" she shrieked to her partner.

Howl dug in her claws and turned around to see Starscream readying his cannons and guns. With amazing agility, she jumped up onto the high ledge as Renegade shot forward to stop the ruthless Seeker.

She saw the cannons being released and before she could even react; the Centre blew sky high. The flames roared outwards, knocking all Cybertronians back. Renegade was knocked right off her feet and so had Starscream.

There were the screams of Femme's and Sparkling's alike and Renegade was slightly paralysed from the shock of hitting the ground at such force. She struggled up, her Processor buzzing trying to get back online functions.

Her optics whirred back to life and she came to realise her Audio's were ringing with the screams of burning Sparkling's.

'_No' _she thought horrified as she watched the flames burst out.

Robot parts began to fall from the sky around them and there were clangs as they impacted with the earth. Part of a broken Femme fell in front of Frontslayer, but being a hardened Warrior of War it didn't sway Renegade until Howlback came racing back over to her.

Her Partner gently leant down and dropped a half roasted Sparkling at her feet. That's when Renegade's spark ached. She sat up and scooped up the squealing Sparkling and held it to her chest. She was instantly able to feel the pain the Sparkling was in and her vents shuttered at the overwhelming heat that descended upon her.

"Now, now" she tried to hush the Sparkling; her Femme processor overrode her ruthless Decepticon side to take away the pain of the Sparkling. But its light began to fade and the Spark ceased to thrum beneath her.

The Sparkling offlined in her hands.

Renegade's vents shuttered and her heat rose off her casings and her cooling systems hyped up to try and cool her down. Howl made a sad noise beside her and a shadow approached them. The Screamer came up to them and he hissed;

"Call her back into you and get up Renegade. These were orders; you knew what was going to happen."

Howlback gave one last menacing hiss to Starscream before transforming back into Renegade's frame. Starscream knocked the offlined Sparkling from the Femme's hand and called back the other useless 'Cons.

"Orders were complete" he barked "Back to the Fraggin' single Processor Dirt-Eater that gives out the orders."

Only the ground 'Cons and Frontslayer copped the wrath of Starscream when Megatron overruled him. The Screamer wanted nothing more than to be the Supreme Decepticon Overlord but while Megatron was there. He was just the servant.

Renegade was still recovering from the shock and turned her neck to the still burning Centre. She had no idea how many Sparkling's escaped. Had she made any impact to evacuate the building? All those defenceless, innocent Sparkling's- offlined.

Barricade came over and wrenched the smaller Femme up to her feet and she retracted her wheels back into the casings on her calves and pushed down her wickedly clawed feet. She walked miserably behind Starscream as they proceeded back to Megatron.

Renegade Frontslayer had failed in saving everyone in time. Now for her good deed, she was going to be punished. For showing mercy.

Megatron glared at Renegade from across the Decepticon base as everyone returned for more orders.

"Wanted to show mercy did we Frontslayer?" he snarled

Renegade was one of the few 'Cons that didn't fear Megatron, which put her ahead against any other Decepticon Mech.

She stopped at the other end of the metallic base and from behind Megatron; Soundwave was making sound progress in spying on the Autobots transmissions.

When Soundwave was around that meant Ravage was as well.

Renegade was jerked forward a little when Howlback broke away from her and jumped over her shoulder to face her brother.

The Panthers bared their teeth at each other in warning and challenge. Howlback was a lot stronger than her brother, but that was because Ravage was a solitary Decepticon and Howlback chose to be fused with another Cybertronian. Hence giving her more abilities and a massive tank of power to draw from.

Ravage roared at his twin as they circled each other, Howlback daring him to make the first lunge so she could rip him to shreds.

Ignoring the fight between the Panther Robots, Renegade looked at Megatron coldly. "Being a Femme Megatron, would naturally override any order to harm Sparkling's. It drove me to attack comrades out of instinct. What was the just cause in offlining innocent Sparkling's?"

"I need Followers that are able to carry out Orders!" Megatron snarled "They were getting in the way. We need to destroy the Autobots."

Frontslayer was sick of the war, it was kill, kill, kill. She wasn't innocent, just as evil as the other 'Cons around her but she had lost her friends and family, her Creators from the war. Innocents that had tried to escape the fighting but ended up offlining instead.

From the very start, Renegade Frontslayer had been a different Decepticon. A ruthless, cruel Robot that strangely had a heart.

Megatron walked through the base with loud, echoing footfalls; breaking apart the standoff between Ravage and Howlback. He towered over Renegade and raised his fist and easily knocked the Femme off her feet.

She went sprawling across the floor and she looked up with blaring, red optics and spat some energon on the floor. She got back up to her wobbly feet and saw Howlback ready to pounce on Megatron but at the shake of her head, her Partner relented.

"You and your merciful ways!" Megatron shouted at her "Decepticon's are strong, ruthless Warriors not _'caring Auto Scum'. _He spat the last words "Where do your allegiances lay Frontslayer?" the Decepticon Lord roared.

"I-" Frontslayer fought with her vocal processor that had been twisted painfully when Megatron struck her. _"I am who I am" _she whispered.

Megatron didn't take that as an answer, instead hitting Frontslayer again. "Where is your Faction?" he growled "Bring them all to me and they will all get the same punishment!"

Frontslayer grinned at that evilly _"Gone" _she whispered.

All the Decepticon's in the room suddenly seemed shocked at the once whispered word. They all stared at the Female Decepticon Leader incredulously.

Megatron hit her again and the Energon continued to leak from her mouth. She still managed to laugh and through the pain of her twisted Vocals she managed to whisper.

"_Star-Rider" _**Terminated**

As she read them out, her Processor flashed before her eyes tracking their life signature. Star-Riders profile came up red, meaning she had perished in the fire.

Renegade refused to let the pain cloud her eyes. She couldn't alert the Mech's of her plans to get her Femme's to escape.

"_Flip Sides" _– **Terminated**

"_Airazor" – _**Life signal confirmed**

"_Nemesis Strika" _**– Terminated; seeking sibling bond … confirmed life signature of sibling Shadow Strika.**

"_Thunderblast" – _**Life signal confirmed**

Only some of her Faction of Femmes had gotten away which pained Renegade. She had close bonds with the Femme's she ruled and to lose most of them left a shadow on her spark. Another mission she had failed.

"You killed them all?" Starscream screeched unintentionally "You killed all the female Decepticon's?"

Renegade's red optics flickered to him _"You _caused it Screamer. You are the one that obliterated the centre. You killed all the Caregiver Femmes and my Femme's as well! It's hardly my fault; now they are gone because you were too eager to destroy the Sparkling Centre."

All eyes flickered from Renegade to Starscream then back to Renegade when she kept her balance and said in a firm voice. "I relinquish my title as Ruler of the Femme's. I no longer wish to be a Leader."

At her words, the Decepticon Mech's went silent and with a soft thrum; Howl leapt away from Ravage and connected herself back to Renegade and transformed back into the large carry-bag like case.

"I have no need for you then" Megatron growled.

Renegade was slightly shocked at the words that came from the Decepticon Leader. Shock that quickly turned into a coil of fear on what the Leader wanted to do to her. He was going to kill her for her insolence.

"You better count your Prayers to Primus before I hunt you down, precious Firefly" Megatron mocked. This sent a genuine tremor of fear through Renegade's Frame at the use of a nickname she had not heard in a long time.

She had several names that she was called. Her full name being Renegade Frontslayer either two sufficing for a Designation; But, Firefly was an affectionate name given to her because of her soft, light nature.

Her family called her Firefly, along with a friend she had held dear to her Spark before the war broke out and they were forced to choose sides.

She took a step back and in an instant, every Decepticon was an enemy to her. She would now look like a stray Autobot that had strayed into the dangerous nest. She felt vulnerable and exposed and she spun on her heels, folding up her feet and pushing down her wheels to escape.

She left the building and Starscream approached Megatron and watched the Femme leave. "You aren't going to let her go are you?" he hissed and the Leader only chuckled darkly "We all know that a Femme can't override her most basic instinct. Even a ruthless Decepticon like my little Firefly, for now she will be banished and when the time comes. I will get her myself."

"She's part of the very few Femmes' left" Barricade said almost begrudgingly "My Lord you will have to keep an eye on her."

Megatron flung out his arm and roared angrily to Barricade, "Don't forget your place servant. I am aware of her past, Decepticon or not; she is a Femme and if we aren't careful we will lose her to the Autobots."


	2. Chapter 2

**Yeah this is a double chapter to see how people like it.**

**Yes it does follow the Bay verse movies, which I actually enjoyed unlike other people out there.**

**Please forgive me if my timing with the movie is off, but I'm trying my best to work it into the story.**

**All rights belong to Hasbro, Renegade belongs to me :)**

**At the moment sentences in 'bold' are the 'bots talking in Cybertronian. I will let you know of changes in the other chapters :)**

**Please leave your reviews :)**

**And enjoy chapter 2**

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><p>::Renegade here::<p>

'Bzzzt! _Error'_

Renegade sighed and went back to her internal menu to try and run a scan to find what was wrong with her transmitter.

She had been trying to fix it for a long time now, trying to fix it so she can finally found out who was alive.

She and Howlback had been banished by Megatron after her defect and she had been stuck in space for a long time. Upon impact on a planet that had been designated 'Earth', Renegade had been severely damaged, losing her transmitter and communicator.

She had been trying to fix it; trying to get into contact with her comrades, trying to tell _anyone _that she was alive. But all she had was an error.

That was about the time that the screaming and the torture began. Bot's that she knew and loved, trying to contact her; trying to see if their Femme Leader was coming back to save them.

She had heard them die

Unable to contact them, unable to do a thing.

She was alone on a planet with nobody else.

Things had been quiet for a while now and Renegade knew that everybody she knew was probably long gone and dead. But that didn't stop her from trying.

Another beep sounded within her helm and she tried to send out another transmission.

::Its Renegade Frontslayer. Does anybody copy? Me and my Partner Howlback are stranded on a planet designated Earth. Does anyone copy?"

'Bzzt _Error_'

She slumped back '_Anybody?_'

She exited her internal menus until her vision focused and zoomed in on her surroundings. She was in a scrap yard. Old and rusted cars were piled up around her; nobody seemed to own the yard itself and it only seemed to congregate more broken cars over the years.

Renegade had been slowly rebuilding herself using scrap parts from cars, hell; she was no medic and she knew that she was falling apart. But it was something, sparing her more days to live, days that she hoped would change and she would run into more of her own kind.

She sat up painfully and reached over her bond to her closest partner.

'_Howler have you found anything yet?'_

_'Negative' _Came Howlback's reply _'Will continue to look for parts for limbs.'_

The Panther dropped out and Renegade sucked in a deep, pain breath through her shutters, before exhaling and gazed down to her leg. It was the source of her pain; her legs sparked miserably held together by measly scraps.

She was literally falling apart.

Blue/Black energon dribbled from her cables in her legs. Organic poisoning mixed with old energon didn't mix well and Renegade had long gotten used to the error messages that flashed continuously within her helm.

She reached over and picked at a loose scrap on her leg, only to have it simply come off in her hand; revealing more severed and damaged cables. Renegade slammed her head back against the old cars she was sitting up against and couldn't help but say to herself grimly:

"Renegade Frontslayer, Decepticon Leader of the Femme Faction, banished and falling apart, she's going to-…"

Renegade stopped in her wry remark and her voice whispered in her processor, "_I'm going to die_."

Her crimson optics dimmed and her processes started to go dim "To die alone, that would be… the worst thing."

She started to get lost through her memory files before a little pop-up appeared on her vision.

'_Howlback connecting'_

She answered it, "Howl what's the update?" she murmured and her partners distinct whirring and clicking came over their bond.

"_Received needed parts, returning now; Are you in distress?"_

"I'm fine" Renegade assured her "Do not hurry back, I will live until then."

Howlback disconnected and Renegade let a small smile grace her faceplates. Howlback was cold and stoic, keeping her cold demeanour, even after crashing on Earth; staying abrupt and keeping her computer voice like ways.

She really was a caring Femme, 'Con or not, she had a loving spark if you could worm yourself through her tough firewalls.

Renegade turned her optics to the stars and wondered what would happen to Howlback when she eventually died. Would 'Bots eventually fall to Earth and would they take her in?

Poor Howl

As she stared out, she began to realise more of her internal menu processes in her helm glitch and disappear, she was starting to lose her functions of her body as well.

Renegade swiftly opened her internal menus inside her helm and grabbed some more of her memory files of Howlback and placed it inside her CPU backup.

What had once held vital commands and functions of her body had been deleted and now stored memories that Renegade held dear to her. She was trying to die happy with the memories she had, memories of her Creators, her friends, her Faction of Femmes, Howlback and a great deal of her life, leaving out some of the sour parts she would never want to relive again.

She worked quickly; she was vulnerable to Organic viruses, her firewalls and protection systems grossly out of date. As she activated and moved numerous files she suddenly heard a loud '_Bzzt_' followed by faint voices, they sounded like Organics but she wasn't able to make them out. She instantly opened her busted transmitter system and sent out a desperate plea.

::This is Renegade Frontslayer, I am on a planet designated Earth. My partner Howlback and I are severely damaged and I may be offlining soon. If anybody is out there…please, _please _help me."

She sent the transmission and her systems froze as she prayed to Primus.

Then with shock and relief, there was no error message that buzzed painfully in her helm.

Had her message sent?

Renegade jumped when there was a loud 'clang' from up above her, when she looked up she the sleek, blue black form of Howlback launching herself into the dirt clearing. She was a little worse for wear, but she was in better shape that what Renegade was.

Without a single click, Howlback's head lifted away from her chest plate, the cover coming forward and revealing her spark and sparkling chambers. Numerous scraps and parts fell out all over the dirt before them before the Panther closed herself back up and jumped beside Renegade.

"Thanks Howler."

Renegade sifted through the parts and more of her rusted car armour on her arm fell off with a disjointed 'clunk.' More of her dull Protoform was shown and Renegade knew that she was severely damaged, she couldn't even transform back into her Alt mode anymore, a 1963 454 Buick. That was the year she wasn't able to transform anymore, where she began to the slow descent into offlining. She had been suffering in silence ever since the day her legs fell apart on her.

She had been on Earth many, many years before that, watching the humans evolve from simpletons into clever beings.

"I'm going Howler" Renegade started with a wry chuckle "Frontslayer is down and out for the count."

"_No she is not" _Howlback said sharply over their bond _"I will continue to salvage." _The Panther sprung up to her feet and Renegade glared her back down "Howlback no! Sit down and rest, we both know it is inevitable, I will give myself another week and that's being generous.

Howlback was getting mad, her cooling fans running to cool her down before she abruptly changed the subject "Heard a Police Chase earlier on just under a half a joor ago. Still hear Earth alarms."

Renegade shook her head; at any time, any fight or police chase made her partner perk her ears. Howlback loved action and Renegade was just too much of a soft spark to deny the Panther what she liked because after all; Howlback had never left her side.

Renegade sighed and from a scrap car she was leaning against, she grabbed a piece of red metal and peeled it off. She patched it over her damaged leg and used her broken cannon, (now called flamethrower) and welded it on. It was a dodgy job and her leg seared with molten pain but at least she would keep her leg for another day.

She continued to pick through the parts and connected little wires where they were needed and diverting her power supplies to where she needed them. It was something, she was at least to be half alive and for that; she was grateful.

Suddenly, Howlback sat up and she spoke aloud in the human language "There is trouble."

Renegade looked up alarmed and heard a crash and commotion in the power plant next to the little junkyard. If Organics jumped over the mounds of broken cars, there was no way she would be able to escape and hide.

She would be captured and experimented on and she didn't want that. She would rather offline herself than be in the hands of the filthy, fleshy bone bags.

Howlback on the other hand, loved action no matter what it was. It was in her systems to fight and she couldn't override them.

They could thank the 'Screamer for that.

Renegade had to get up and see what the danger was, it was getting closer and lights were flashing overhead.

"You have to get up!" Howlback roared jumping over to the broken Robot and connecting each other. She transformed into Renegades frame and the Femme was able to feel energy pulse through her legs as her partner supported her.

She got up to unsteady feet and froze at the pain that darted through her before pushing herself around the cars and towards the Power Factory. She pulled the fence aside and kept in the shadows as the lights swung around wildly.

The squeal of tires were heard and the roar of car engines that sounded way to loud for human cars sluiced the air and as Renegade looked up over the tank she was crouching behind, she saw an old yellow Camaro swing around with two organics falling out.

A Police Car followed in pursuit of the Camaro and Renegades failing systems suddenly flared up and went into overdrive. Alarms squealed in her head and her optics brightened in shock she watched the scene before her.

Then… The Camaro transformed.

Howlback lurched inside her, roaring out in anger and surprise and it took all of Renegade's strength to hold the Panther back. Her alarm screeched 'Autobot' and with horror and an aching spark, she recognised Bumblebee.

Her fans hitched and the Femme saw the Police car transform as well.

Into somebody she definitely knew.

'Barricade' she breathed.

The Autobot and the Decepticon clashed together in vicious hate and Renegade couldn't get herself to move.

Had they received her transmission?

Howlback lunged again and Renegade saw Barricade falter as Bumblebee dodged away and managed to get a powerful shot in.

She…paused.

She had been hoping for this exact moment for over a century, but just her luck it was an Autobot that she had once known and a Decepticon ally that was a complete slagging fool to her. He had betrayed her trust.

Then… "Barricade! Look Out!"

She stuck to her Decepticon roots and in all her patchy glory with parts falling off her, Renegade made herself known and both 'Bots looked at her with focusing Optics. She raised her dead cannon and a fire erupted out from the broken ignitor and flames roared out, making Bumblebee stumble back in surprise.

It was barely called a cannon anymore, but it made a dodgy flamethrower.

"**Is this where you ended up Frontslayer**?" Barricade whirred at her angrily in Cybertronian "**You pathetic Femme**."

Renegade was no stranger to Barricade's foul attitude and she growled back just as venomously "**Still kissing Megatron's Aft 'Cade? That's all you were good for**!"

She ducked back as Barricade swung around and turned on her, his Optics firing with undoubted hate. "**You are barely online Femme; I am shocked to see that you are still walking. You are of no use to me**."

Then, with another stab at her spark, Renegade saw Barricade lift his cannon and before she could move away, the Decepticon fired at her and the plasma melted right through her lower body and she crumbled in on herself, landing on the concrete with numerous, metallic shrieks and clangs.

Barricade turned on Bumblebee who jumped forward and the 'Con threw the smaller Autobot into a tank with sparks reaching the air. Bumblebee jumped back with amazing agility and got underneath Barricade and threw the 'Con into a small building operating the powers. Sparks and flames flew everywhere and Renegade let her head loll back and she thought to herself quietly _"Bumblebee has gotten so much better at fighting. I can't believe he's alive, I can say that he would have lived through so many traumas. But… he's here now. Maybe… he will take Howlback and give her a chance."_

"**NO!"**

Howlback voice roared through her processor and Renegade felt the monstrous energy pulse through her, forcing her mangled body up and onto her feet, before the Panther jumped out and raced towards the fight.

Renegade couldn't call out to stop her partner; she didn't have a clue who Howlback was going to attack. The Panther elongated her massive claws, her Saboteur type ways breaking loose; As Barricade got up and grabbed Bumblebee Howlback sprung.

She landed on the broad shoulders of Barricade and began to rip his top half apart with deep hatred fuelled frenzy.

The two Decepticon's roared out in fury and Bumblebee stumbled back before his large blue optics landed on Renegade, more and more pieces falling off her. She stumbled again, her equally large red optics dimming and flickering.

Bumblebee hesitated; he still had his large cannon on. He still didn't trust her; after all Renegade was a Decepticon. But he left the brawl between Howlback and Barricade and walked towards Renegade with cautious steps.

When he reached her, Renegade let a buzz escape her helm before alarms went off in her head and she whispered. "I'm so glad I saw you one last time Bee. I've made…made so many _mistakes_. "I-I am so sorry."

She fell forwards and Bumblebee caught her without a word and Renegade felt her Processor melting with pain. She leant her head against the Autobots chest plates as her vision darkened, she knew she was going into stasis lock and would she awake out of it?

She didn't think she would.

There was a loud crash and Bumblebee turned around to see Howlback limping back from the fray, leaving Barricade sparking and temporarily offlined. She had won but she had gotten damaged as well.

Her red optics zoomed in on Renegade and Bumblebee and narrowed and a hiss escaped her and Renegade said softly up to a very old friend.

"Please take-care of her."

Then she fell into stasis lock.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

The young Autobot watched with horror as the Femme crumbled in his arms. Patches holding her old car armour in place dented and fell of the lithe Protoform. Her severely damaged legs fell right from her body landing on the concrete with a loud crash and Bumblebee had to put the frame down and stare at the Femme is shock.

He couldn't let her die.

He looked back to the ever faithful partner of Frontslayer and Howlback just looked stunned. The Autobot hated the idea of helping Decepticon's, but Frontslayer and Howlback were…different. He had heard many stories of how they both got banished from Cybertron. The story of how they fought back against Starscream and his minions to try and help save the Youngling and Sparkling facilities on Youth Sector Delta 39.

Bumblebee looked to Howlback and began to click and whir at the Beast Bot and Howlback hissed back before agreeing to help him.

Howlback had her own Alt Mode, it was small but with Renegade in pieces she would be able to fit inside Howlback and transport her around.

The Panther began to transform into a small, black 1980 TR7 Spider. She could still transform but it was painful for her. She still had the form of an old car which meant that she had not been able to swap Alt Modes either.

She flattened her interior seats and Bumblebee leant down and put Renegade inside. Her top half, and walked around and put her legs in the trunk of Howlback's Alt Mode. It was a tight squeeze but she barely just fit and Bumblebee told Howlback to keep close if she wanted Renegade to live.

The Beast Bot revved her engine in response and she rolled behind Bumblebee and couldn't help but grimace when he revealed himself to the Organics and allowed them inside of him.

Like all Decepticon's, Howlback thought herself superior of all species and had a strong dislike of humans.

As the Autobot drove off from the Power Plant Howlback hesitated one more time before biting her pride and following off after him. She couldn't allow Renegade to die because she couldn't swallow her pride.

After a few breems, Howlback's alarms went off signalling the arrival of more Autobots. She instantly felt betrayed by Bumblebee and knew that she would definitely be attacked by more Autobots.

She was in a defenceless Alt Mode that she had forced herself into Transforming with no readied weapons for quick defence. With her partner in Stasis, she had to protect her as well; many thoughts crossed Howlback's Processor until she felt each individual crash under her sensitive feet.

She stopped driving after Bumblebee and stopped in the middle of the street and there was a whirl in response.

They both hated each other, Autobot and Decepticon did not mix. She didn't reply back, instead her alarm increased and she backed into a small alley with human waste deposit boxes. Her little black form blended in with the darkness and she turned off her lights and signal trackers.

Bumblebee halted in the middle of the backstreet and waited for about several breems until the roar of engines were heard. Howlback waited and with building dread, the other Autobots made a circle around her little hideaway spot to reveal themselves to the Organics.

Howlback was an intelligent Femme and as the Autobots transformed, she was able to recognise more of her enemies that she herself had fought centuries ago.

She recognised Saboteur Jazz and she stiffened, they were enemies.

She saw Ironhide and the medic Ratchet, Bumblebee and when the Truck transformed Howlback knew she would be offlined.

Optimus Prime transformed from the truck in front of her. The Leader of the Autobots and she was a tiny, Decepticon Beast Bot with no chance. Her systems froze as all the Autobots explained to these two Organics why they were there.

Then they mentioned the AllSpark and Megatron.

They were on Earth?

Howlback's headlights moved around observing her surroundings and listening to their side of the story, explaining how Decepticon's were bad.

But the Autobots were just as bad, each side had a lot of blood on their hands and Prime had the hide to turn around and say that that Decepticon's were evil.

Then Bumblebee broke in and spoke in Cybertronian to the Leader, then all attention turned to the alley where a surge of fright went through the little Beast Bot. Red gleamed in the darkness and the Autobots all pulled their weapons and Howlback found herself looking down the barrel of Ironhide's cannon.

She started her little engine and drove forward into the moonlight and Prime looked down to her. "Howlback? I haven't seen her in countless vorns. Where is her Partner?"

Bumblebee let a sad click escape him and Ratchet looked down at the small car and asked incredulously "How did Renegade Frontslayer fit inside? Last I recall she wasn't a small Femme!"

There was another whir and Prime sighed "She's in pieces?" he looked to Ratchet "She is in Stasis, close to offlining. She was almost deactivated by Decepticon Barricade."

Ratchet glared down at Howlback, "Well I cannot help her here! There are now confirmed sighting of Decepticon's and we have to get the AllSpark before Megatron. Now I have to help a Decepticon Femme?"

Prime looked down to the shaking Howlback and said in a deep monotone voice, "If you pledge that you will not bring harm to the humans, we will let you stay and we will fix Frontslayer, but if any of you intend on going back and joining Megatron. We will deactivate you both."

"Allegiance over" Howlback said over transmitter in English "follow nobody after banishment."

Prime nodded "Alright Autobots, no harm shall come to Howlback and her locked Partner" he looked down to the boy "Now where are the glasses?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone, Chapter 3 followed by another is up.**

**Dont mind any mistakes**

**All Rights go to Hasbro, 'cept Renegade... She's my OC**

**Please review and leave feedback :)**

**ENJOY**

* * *

><p>Howlback couldn't do this.<p>

She wasn't supposed to be transformed into a car. She was missing vital parts that made a normal car run and she was tired. All the running around that the Autobots were doing was ridiculous, it wasn't until they reached the house of the Organic designated Sam Witwicky that Prime noticed Howlback struggling.

The dead weight of her Partner inside her had done its toll and when they pulled up in the drive way on the side of the house. The Beast sagged and dropped the entire frame on the concrete.

"What is the matter with the slaggin' little 'Con?" Ironhide spat and Prime transformed and knelt down beside Howlback.

She leant back away from the Prime and hissed ferociously but the Autobot knew that the Panther was exhausted from carrying the massive weight of Frontslayer. He knew that Howlback would do anything for Frontslayer. She hid no trace of going back to Megatron so now, the problem was; where were they going to hide Frontslayer until Ratchet could get her out of stasis lock?

Prime sighed and said to Howlback, "Stay here."

He and the other Autobots went around the back and Howlback sensed humans arguing from inside. Heaving herself onto bald tires, Howlback let herself roll down the driveway and onto the road where she struggled to keep her transformation and deactivating from exhaustion.

She wanted to close her optics and fall into recharge.

She knew she wasn't in the best state for fighting, her entire Decepticon Systems were screaming at her to attack the Autobots, to kill Optimus Prime but…she couldn't.

She didn't, because she was doing it for Renegade.

If Howlback followed the Autobots and got to the location of the AllSpark, she could steal it and use it to repair her partner.

Then…she could kill the Autobots; yeah, she could do that.

She heard Organics panicking over ruined gardens and her engine growled impatiently. Renegade was in stasis, she could die at any moment and the Autobots were dicking around with Organics.

She jerked violently when she heard another 'Bot come up to her in a silver Cadillac and with disgust she found it to be Jazz' signature.

"C'mon Beast Bot" the slick voice came out "I know you don't like me and I aint to fond of yerself. I don't like to say it but you hold somebody in yerself that is very dear to our Baby Bot. You…know that you can't hold her for much longer."

Howlback growled and Jazz retorted, speaking over her "C'mon Howler, you need to put her down. I can't be around those Organics; we will have a quick look around the town where we can put her until Ratchet can look at her."

She hated it when she knew he was right.

The Pontiac drove down the road and after a moment of hesitation, she followed the Autobot Saboteur.

They drove from the Residential areas and continued away and down some back alleys where they reached a darker side of the town. The houses were gloomy and mostly abandoned. They got stuck down a Cul-De-Sac and they came to a boarded house at the end that was severely dilapidated.

There was an old shed out the back with an old padlock locking it, nothing that Jazz couldn't break when he transformed into his Bi-Pedal mode.

He made Howlback open up and he took the pieces of the locked Femme in stacked them into the shed.

The dark Panther Saboteur zoned in on the broken pieces of her Partner, severely dilapidated and patched. Energon had drooled down her Protoform and dried and her dull grey optics seemed null. So dark and lifeless, so…unlike Renegade.

Jazz shut the door to the shed, locking Renegade away and hooked the padlock back through and crushed the top of it. It left no hope for a human to try and open that shed, she would be safe until they returned.

Howlback stared at the door for a minute before revering out from the drive as Jazz transformed back. "She better be alright when I get back to her" she warned and Jazz whirred in response "She'll be fine, just pray to Primus that the 'Cons don't get a track on her, if Barricade shot 'nd very nearly offlined her, dun' mean the others will take her back with open arms."

Howlback growled dangerously "Silence your vocals Autobot! How would you know that your 'scum!' wouldn't offline Firefly themselves?"

Jazz took the volatile attitude in stride and chuckled "So everybody still goes by Firefly still? I haven't heard of that in millennia."

Howlback wanted to attack the Autobot so badly but instead she hissed "We've been gone that long? Firefly…was broken and she heard everyone die."

The two cars kept driving until they reached the street that the Organic Sam lived in and Jazz said quietly "Many Femmes were killed, they just seemed to…vanish; After you tried to save everybody at Youth Sector Delta 39 with Frontslayer. 'Cons of yer Faction disappeared as well, one defected and joined us-…" the Saboteur trailed off and Howlback said venomously "Our efforts were pointless, we failed and then we were branded traitors and banished by the Leader himself."

Her engines fumed with anger before both the Autobot and Decepticon saw Bumblebee closely followed by the others and began driving down the road.

Jazz sped forward to catch up and Howlback struggled to keep up with the more powerful, high performance cars. Since she didn't have established with the Autobots she didn't have a clue on what was happening.

Had Barricade come back online already?

Had more Autobots or Decepticon's risen?

Heck! She didn't know; she could only struggle to keep up. She swore that the 'Bots were more manic than the 'Cons led by the Screamer.

They sped across the town, overtaking cars and large vehicles and over gutters until they reached the large sewer pipe underneath the bridge.

Then, Prime transformed towering over anybody else even as the other Autobots done the same. Howlback stayed as she was and she saw the cause of the problem in a black 4WD coming towards them. In one scan, Howlback was able to identify Sam and the Femme Organic he was with in a car with two other strangers.

Prime's optics flashed in annoyance and he reached down and grasped the car roof with his fingers and held the car up, letting it dangle until the roof ripped off scaring everybody until the boy Sam looked to the strangers and almost said smugly "Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Optimus Prime."

The other two men looked like they had just shit bricks. A term Howlback liked to refer to when she witnessed terror like this.

When they got out of the damaged car and being a Beast Bot, Howlback had finely tuned sensors and receptors.

Prime continued to intimidate the men and Howlback sensed a foreign signature on the Organic Mech. It was faint but it was definitely there; and it was Cybertronian.

Howlback growled as the Organic turned aggressive as Sam talked back and ordered them to remove their protective layers of cloth as he handcuffed them to a pole and to each other.

Jazz jumped down and claws elongated, he made a magnetic pulse and took everybody's weapons from them.

The Panther ran numerous scans; numbers and letters running up the inside of her windscreen. She needed to identify that scent, what other Cybertronian had landed on Earth? Was it friend or foe?

Did they need help?

It could be anything, but midway through her analyzation Howlback was cut short.

When Bumblebee lubricated on the man

Bang, scent gone

'_Diagnosis incomplete' _

"Bumblebee stop lubricating on the man" Prime reprimanded and the man yelled out in disgust and horror.

Howlback was beyond furious before she noticed a device in the Organics hand. By memory file, it was a mobile phone and it was on.

Howlback sent out a jarring signal, blocking the phone but she realised it was too late as the Organic turned to the other and said: "Speaker."

The Beast Bot detected more signals and backed away as Prime detected them as well. He turned to his other Autobots and held out his hand "Autobots roll out."

All the 'Bots transformed and scattered all over the place and Prime scooped up the Organics and disappearing quite quickly for a Robot his size.

Howlback remained and her engine rumbled 'Bring it!'

Down the road, lights shone and swept down the streets and more vehicles and helicopters appeared.

Cars pulled up to the long line of Organics and as they were released from each other the loud-mouth one flung his arms around and shouted "There are five of them! Five! Get out there and find them."

He spun around and saw Howlback parked there and he pointed to her "That's one as well, don't leave that one behind."

A Militant Officer looked towards the little Spider and held up a gun and that activated Howlback's battle systems. She shuddered in anticipation and as the bullets fired her hopes dwindled a little bit as she activated her shield.

It absorbed the bullets easily and she calibrated her aim and shot back at the Organic with double the force and the bullets exploded out from his back. Red liquid spurted out, covering his comrades and the road and Howlback switched on her large headlights, illuminating the entire front of her.

She snarled animalistically and then she spun her wheels and screeched forward aiming right for the Organics.

She was a Decepticon, she didn't care; she was not an Organic loving 'Autoscum'; she was a ruthless killer.

The Organics jumped away and Howlback spun her wheels and aimed right for one and she hit him and there was a sickening 'Ka-Thunk' as he disappeared underneath her wheels. The revolting feeling of warm liquid in between her gears repulsed Howlback and she couldn't help but shudder in disgust.

She sped away down towards the bridge, her little engine rumbling and growling under exertion. She pulled up and saw a helicopter sweeping through the sewer lines and up underneath the bridge, she saw Optimus hiding up in between the steel beams with the Organics on his shoulder plates.

She watched the Femme lean over and her companion sprung out and tried to catch her when she began to tip.

It was inevitable.

The Femme fell and her friend reached and grabbed her, only to topple from Rime's shoulders as well and the helicopter flew beneath them and there was the danger of them falling into the blades. Not that Howlback cared; she would find it rather amusing.

The Organic Sam lost his grip on Prime's smokestacks and they fell to the concrete below.

Prime flung himself out and tried to get Sam to get hold of his foot but he only hit it and failed to grab on.

Howlback waited for the initial 'Splat' but a loud rumble echoed out down the drain and Bumblebee gave himself away as he transformed and caught both the Organics in his servos. He cradled them to his chest before putting them down quickly as he was surrounded and shot at by the helicopters.

Howlback noticed Prime go back into hiding and she realised that he was going to allow Bumblebee to be captured by the pathetic humans.

Renegade would not have allowed that!

Even though he was an Autobot, this particular 'Bot was dear to Howlback's partner; and the Pits be damned the moment Howlback decided she was going to help.

She saw hooks and chains fly out towards the young Autobot, pulling him down before she let a vicious roar escape her.

It drowned out every other sound and from that small Spider on the edge of the drain, a blinding yellow light flashed out. It got as bright as day for a split second and that was enough to blind every human that was down in that drain, in vehicles or helicopters.

The Helicopters swayed dangerously and humans dropped their guns and covered their eyes and the Spider twisted and transformed and Howlback launched into the drain and rumbled down it.

She still couldn't be seen by the stupid humans, her ruby optics flashed menacingly and she elongated her claws and launched up; a roar escaping her.

She sliced through the cables holding Bumblebee down and she buzzed at him in Cybertronian:

"You better be thankful Autobot! I am doing this for Renegade because you're so fraggin' important to her!"

Her light faded from the visions of the humans and the quicker ones were even quicker to react when they saw an enormous Panther Robot freeing the one they had pinned down.

She jumped away snarling; her optics glistening dangerously. Her guns extended out and her missiles came out on her back legs. Then her rounds went off towards the helicopters.

'Target acquired' her processors whirred 'Eliminate.'

::Stop her!:: Optimus shouted over the to Bumblebee ::she is losing all control::

Bumblebee got to his feet and launched himself at Howlback, wrapping his arms around the enraged Decepticon and pulling her away to stop the attack on the humans. "Eliminate" she snarled "Eliminate"

The two robots struggled to and Bumblebee managed to haul Howlback up. She extended out her wicked sharp claws and that's when a human aimed to grapple Howlback but got Bumblebee instead.

A cry escaped his vocaliser and the young Autobot lost his balance and he stumbled, dropping Howlback resulting in one of her long hooked claw to snap right off her foot.

She snarled in anger and looked back to the humans and she was instantly fired at.

Hooks and chains were shot at her and they pulled her back as they grappled her back legs.

They continued to launch attacks at Bumblebee even though he refused to defend himself, he was brought down to his knees and Howlback was completely immobilised and she began to grow more and more angry and her lust for any type of blood was glowing in her optics. Bumblebee couldn't have her harming and killing any more humans that she already had.

Though her intentions had been good, she had already killed several humans and injured many more. Bumblebee had no choice but to fight against the cables and lean over to the struggling, yet murderous Howlback and saw the tough cabling and wiring between the cracked and faded armour separating her head from her shoulder.

He then jammed his finger in and sent an electric pulse into the Beast Bot.

Without Renegade to bring her back online quickly, Howlback was knocked into temporary recharge.

That was the partnership between the two Femme's. One couldn't function properly without the other. So without Renegade in the picture; Howlback struggled to come back online quickly and that was her weakness.

The terrible two, Renegade on the defensive; able to defend and hold up in even the toughest of battles while Howlback was her offensive. Deadly and lethal, Howlback lunged in claws extended and could rip any robot apart even before Renegade got to them.

All 'Bots and 'Cons knew not to underestimate them.

"I'm sorry" Bumblebee thought "Now..." Another hook grappled him and he heard Sam shouting the officers that surrounded him and Mikaela "Don't do that! He isn't hurting anybody! He isn't doing anything! Leave him alone."

More Military officers surrounded both Sam and Mikaela, pointing guns at them as Bumblebee felt the painful bite of nitrogen freezing his circuits. He grabbed Howlback's limp body as a net was thrown over them as the humans continued to freeze them.

They fell back onto the concrete and the net was secured around them. As much as the young robot wanted to escape, he couldn't risk hurting the humans.

He just had too much of a kind spark.

He felt another painful bite in his wires and he whined out in pain again and he turned his head to see Sam being escorted away with a gun poking him dangerously in the back.

Bumblebee struggled some more before he opened up some internal menus in his helm unable to handle the pain. He selected the options to force himself into temporary recharge. If him being caught by the humans meant that Optimus could find the AllSpark he would die happy.

But as he was falling into darkness he had a fleeting thought of Renegade and how furious she would be when she came back online to find that he had been captured by humans.

She was a Decepticon and she didn't give two hoots about ending many lives but when it came to him, he knew she wouldn't. All the times she could have killed him but let him go. She had a gentle spark and she only did what she had to do because she was ordered to.

"I'm sorry Firefly" Bumblebee thought sadly "I failed you."

* * *

><p>Optimus walked around the building and saw the vast road ahead of him and let a sigh escape his vocals. Being the Leader, Prime knew he couldn't display weakness in front of the other Autobots.<p>

'What if it doesn't work?

What if Bumblebee is killed because they didn't act on his capture?

He looked back down to the tiny glasses clenched in between his fingers and he muttered to himself; "Please, let this work."

He turned around to his subordinates and Jazz walked along the top of the building and he said encouragingly "Fire it up Optimus."

Prime didn't hesitate then and he directed a beam from his helm on the glasses at an angle and to his utter relief, a world map came up from the encoding on the glasses.

"The code" he said studying the map "The code on these glasses indicates the AllSpark is 230 miles from here."

With a rough idea in which direction to head and where he was leading his team, he distinguished the light and the holographic map disappeared.

He turned around and both Ratchet and Ironhide looked up at him.

"I sense the Decepticon's are getting ready to mobilise" Ratchet said before turning to Ironhide who nodded and agreed with the medic; "They must know it's here, as well."

All attention was then drawn on Jazz as he walked along the top of the building when he piped up and said in a stern voice:

"What about Bumblebee?" We can't just leave him to die and become some human experiment!"

Jazz was a kind spark and very big on not leaving team behind and that's what made Optimus Prime feel all the more guilty before he said back to Jazz, gently reminding him who was leading this charge.

"He'll die in vain if we don't accomplish our mission."

Optimus gathered the 'Bots up and began to walk forward as he finished speaking "Bumblebee is a brave soldier this is what he would want."

"Why are we fighting to save the humans?" Ironhide asked glaring up to Optimus "They are a _primitive _and violent race."

Prime's optics narrowed and became sad as he looked down to the ground; "Were we so different?" he asked and Ironhide couldn't come back with a valid argument against that. "They're a young species, they have much to learn. But I've seen goodness in them; freedom is the right of sentient beings… You all know there's only one way to end this war, we must destroy the Cube."

Optimus walked out to the vast horizon and looked out at it before unclicking his chassis and opening his spark chamber up, "If all else fails, I will unite it with the spark in my chest."

"That's suicide!" Ratchet interjected his face plates stern and he was speaking in that kind of _'Are you fraggin' running on one processor unit?' _type look. "The Cube is raw power, it could destroy you both."

Optimus turned to his ever faithful medic and he said "A necessary sacrifice to bring peace to this planet. We cannot let the humans pay for our mistakes."

"What about Frontslayer and Howlback? Are we willing to go save them as well? The Howler is a 'Con and she is reckless but to see a 'Con risk their lives to save an Autobot like she did isn't normal" Jazz argued.

"She knows of Frontslayer's ties to Bumblebee and how much he means to her, she acted on behalf of her fallen partner. Who here would disagree with me if I said that Frontslayer wouldn't stand by and let him get caught the way we did?"

There was a brief silence before Ironhide looked up; "The humans still caught them" he sneered "Bumblebee knocked the Howler out because she wasn't hesitating in killing the humans. In her position she was put into, I would have done the same thing."

"We will do what is necessary to try and save them both" Optimus said "I have seen potential in both Femmes that could be strong Autobot traits. But for now… we look for this Cube."  
>He looked to his faithful Autobots "It's been an honour serving with you all" he turned to the road and readied himself to run towards it and transform and he said:<p>

"Autobots, roll out!"

* * *

><p>It was abnormally cold when her processors flickered to life. A small alarm was beeping in her menu's that showed error and damage reports. She switched them off and her head opened a little to let a red visor slide down and cover the top half of her head as she ran diagnostics on her damage.<p>

Like Renegade, Howlback had disintegrated over the years and her reports came back and read that she was running on a low 38% capacity. She wouldn't be able to fight again without copping severe damage and running the risk of being permanently offlined.

Her visor lifted and she went to go and lift her legs but found them to be chained and bolted to a large steel bench. Most people would have panicked when they saw this but Howlback couldn't help but feel a little amused.

Chains couldn't hold back a Beast Bot, humans were so clueless.

Her claws and her teeth could slice through the toughest of Cybertronian armour like butter; they even gave Ironhide the spooks whenever she decided to attack him. Measly chains could not hold her back.

She bit through them easily and freed herself before scanning the room and detecting all the scents and signals in this unfamiliar place. She lifted her head to the concrete rook and knew instantly that she was partially under water in this facility and with no oceans or major rivers to hold this much water it had to be a dam.

She quickly opened up her menus and done a quick search and the only dam that came up on her search that was anywhere near where she was; was Hoover Dam.

She quickly gathered pictures and prints of them dam and had a rough idea and where she needed to go and escape. She still hadn't forgotten that fight that she was so shamefully unfairly put in recharge and she didn't want to hate Bumblebee any more than what she did, so her hatred for the humans boiled within her.

She wanted revenge.

She stepped off the steel platform that she had been bound to and jumped up against the wall as she heard noises erupt from the next room over. She recognised the agonised cries of Bumblebee and carefully, she extracted her large reflector and spun it over turning it into a mirror. She peeked in and saw Bumblebee strapped to a platform like she had been; and he was being shocked and electrocuted as the humans were experimenting on him.

Howlback looked back to the platform she had been on and she saw a similar device hanging over it. She let a deathly snarl escape her and she brought back up her error reports and wondered if they had been experimenting on her.

She bared her teeth and sprung back to it and launched onto it, hanging off it and tearing it down. It came down easily and the alarms went crazy in screeching.

The humans came running and Howlback easily leapt over them as they tried to fire liquid nitrogen at her.

As she landed, Howlback felt bolt come loose and the metal crumpling a little bit in her front left leg. It rattled before another bolt fell off and Howlback hissed; she needed a miracle to save her now.

If the AllSpark fell out of the sky and landed on her, she would thank Primus himself, but she knew that was impossible. There was no way in the history of Earth that it would happen.

Howlback dashed through the room, all attention on her as humans called for backup on the PA systems. They all abandoned Bumblebee as Howlback crashed into computers and trolleys set up with tools. She growled when she a couple of steel implements covered in glowing blue energon and she ran back and knock all of the trolleys over, tools or not.

She was causing mayhem that the humans wouldn't be able to fix.

She ran out of the room and into an open hangar where the air didn't feel as dank and Howlback knew she was out of the chambers that was under water. She got into the base of the hangar and her processor glitched when she looked up and she knew what the foreign signature had been.

It had been Megatron.

He was on Earth

Another glitch went through her processor and her long silent audio's buzzed to life and she heard the and transmissions from fellow comrades that was on Earth.

:: AllSpark located::

::Starscream::

::Barricade::

::Blackout::

::Bonecrusher::

Starscream was here as well. Along with comrades that she had worked alongside in the War of Cybertron; her comrades, fellow Decepticon's that would come to her if she activated her audio and called out to them.

Not to help her, but destroy where she had been.

Her processor still buzzed from the words 'AllSpark located' and she ranged out her scents and got nothing. Unless she saw it with her own optics, she would only presume it wouldn't exist.

She looked around her desperately as her only way out was blocked around milling humans. Howlback didn't have a choice so she took off, she extended her claws and sliced through the walls, making them crumble and she got away that way.


	4. When the War Began

**These will appear for the next couple of chapters for some insight behind Renegade and Bumblebee's past relationship. **

**More backstories will appear when I think of them**

**Please leave a review and comment :)**

**Mind the mistakes**

**Enjoy**

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><p><strong>Just when you think<strong>

**Hope is lost**

**And giving up**

**Is all you got**

**Blue turns black**

**Your confidence is cracked**

**There seems no turning back from here- _Bridge of Light- Pink_**

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><p><em><strong>-When it all started-<strong>_

A loud explosion rocked the skies as she ran.

Her wheels extended down from her calves and replaced her feet and she gained speed by scooting down the roads.

Fright pulsed hotly through her cables and her processors whirled in confusion on what had been happening.

It had been the day when the sky had turned orange and the ground was stained.

More explosions erupted in the sky around her, sending the towers crumbling and she had to escape the carnage and get back to her creators.

It was the day when Cybertron fell into war, when the Decepticon's rised and wanted to take over and the Autobots stood their ground to fight.

A young Cybertronian by the name of Renegade Frontslayer raced through the dark alleys, avoiding all the lights that searched the city. She had been out way past curfew and she was being trailed by Decepticon's.

She tried to throw them off her scent, succeeding in losing them but making her lost in the process. She knew she was in the lower end of Tyger Pax, a place she didn't want to be out past curfew and this was the reason.

Her optics whirred as she gazed around where to run next and her processors hummed painfully with all the files that raced through it.

"Oh no!" she whined in fright "I'm lost, what are my Creators going to think?"

She halted up in a main road, where spotlights swept up and down and numerous Cybertronian's were clashing together and fighting in the streets. She backed up, gazing at the mayhem around her and she had the lingering thought that she could possibly be killed.

She didn't need this, she was barely out of being considered a Sparkling and now she had been caught up in fighting that she didn't want to be part of.

Then in the dark behind her, there was a rustle and the clang of metal and Renegade spun around with a gasp on her vocals before she saw a familiar colour yellow.

Relief pooled through her before it turned to concern.

"Bumblebee! What are you doing here?"

A younger Bumblebee emerged from the darkness and Renegade glared to her closest friend. "I'm here to get you out of this mess you always get yourself into" Bumblebee whispered and all Renegade could do was groan:

"Our Creators are going to kill us."

Bumblebee knelt down and surveyed the fights out in the streets and the large spotlights. Then he looked up to the right and saw the lights of upper Tyger Pax, where he and Renegade lived.

He turned around and saw his friend's optics wide and full of fright and he reached up and grabbed her hand. "It's ok Firefly, I will save us."

His optics softened when she nodded meekly and she clung to his arm, they both didn't want to be caught up in this war. They both wanted to live to be old.

Renegade hid behind Bumblebee when he came forward and looked for a way to escape and she looked up the tall buildings and in the dark orange sky, she saw several Decepticon Seekers dart past, the loud roar of their engines following about a second later; loud enough to make Renegade's audios ring.

"I'm scared Bee" she whimpered into her best friends door wings, "I'm so frightened."

Bumblebee reached behind him and grasped Renegade with both his arms and he said soothingly "It will be ok, we aren't training at the Academy to be caught up in a street fight."

Bumblebee shook his head, knowing that they wouldn't be able to escape down that street and he spun around keeping his friend behind him and they went down another alley and onto a quiet main road where the fighting had stopped.

They crept out, keeping to the shadows and avoiding the Seekers and their lights. Rubbish and debris skidded down the roads as strong winds from the planes forced them down and Renegade's optics fell on a dark and still figure of a robot lying in the middle of the road.

She and Bumblebee crept around it and they saw the offlined optics and the dark symbol of an Autobot. He had been caught up in the Decepticon's fight and as a result, he had lost his life. Renegade shuddered and squeezed Bumblebee's arm a little harder and he pulled her along quicker down the road.

As they ran down the road, a news bulletin buzzed to life in their helms and Renegade heard the words ring in her processor.

"**Alpha Trion declares War. All young, able Cybertronian's who value honour and pride of Cybertron urged to join Autobot armies."**

"So it's finally come to this?" Bumblebee murmured "Millions of years of street fighting have finally bought War?"

"It's what the Decepticon's wanted" Renegade said sullenly "In their fights against the two, innocent robots have been killed."

Bumblebee halted and Renegade bumped into him as a Seeker jet flew overhead and a large spotlight followed, just barely missing the Younglings.

"Come on" Bumblebee urged "We can't be hanging around, if we are to get out. We have to run."

Renegade was unsure, but deep down she knew that Bumblebee had a point. If they were to sneak around they would surely be caught. If they just all out ran to Upper Tyger Pax, there could be a chance that they might make it into safe boundary before soldiers decided to pursue them.

Bumblebee waited for a moment before everything was silent again before he ran, dragging Renegade behind him. They ran down the roads, ducking in and out of shadows and avoiding the large scaled fighting.

The lights of Upper Tyger Pax glimmered into their view but before they could even feel a sliver of relief, there was another roar.

A Decepticon Seeker came down through the building, wind and debris being swept up. Renegade lost her grip on Bumblebee's servo and she cried out in horror "Bee!"

The plane crashed into a nearby building, rocking the city and the flames erupted out and almost seemed to hit the sky itself.

Renegade lost sight of her friend in the rising black smoke and she scooted around trying to find him. "Bumblebee?"

She couldn't even hear his voice and she heard sounds of crunching metal near her. She spun around and her large baby blue optics caught sight of a dark shape emerging from the smoke. It jumped up onto the rubble followed by an animalistic growl.

Renegade whimpered when she saw two ruby red optics flash through the smoke. A large black shape manifested and it came too close for Renegade's liking.

The thought of being killed came back up in her Processor and she caught sight of an incredibly large Panther slinking towards her.

She saw a glowing red Decepticon symbol on its shoulder and her optics slid to the teeth that decorated the Panthers mouth. It jumped closer, knocking Renegade right off her pedes and sent her sprawling to the road and her entire frame began to rattle noisily.

The Panther growled and its face loomed close to Renegade's before there was a shout that made the Panther look up.

"Leave her alone!"

Bumblebee came running from the darkness, throwing metal pieces from the road and the Panther roared at him, stepping off Renegade and stalking towards Bumblebee.

"No!" Renegade cried "Bee, run away it will kill you!"

She scrambled up back onto her pedes and ran towards the Panther, making it lose its balance as she went running into it.

The Panther roared again before there was another earth shattering rumble and from behind another building another robot appeared. It was an Autobot and it shouted "Come here Deceptiscum, it raised a plasma cannon and fired at the Panther who abandoned Renegade and Bumblebee.

From either side of the Panthers head, large reflectors appeared and Bumblebee grabbed Renegade and they ran for another dark alley and they both threw their arms over their optics, covering them.

Even through their closed optics and their arms covering them, Renegade was still able to see a dazzling light that scrambled her Processor slightly. She began to feel dizzy and Bumblebee was the first to uncover his face and pull Renegade up.

Through her swirling sight, she saw the Panther dart away and the Autobot was swaying around on his pedes blinded by the light. He couldn't see the smaller Younglings; they had the risk of being squashed.

Bumblebee took off towards the lights of Upper Tyger Pax and Renegade followed. They ran as fast as they could, running through a spotlight and alerting Seekers. They were so close to safety and they didn't dare stop.

The plane came after them, transforming and the Decepticon ran after them, its snarling voice ringing in both their processors.

"Come here Sparkling's!"

"Run Renegade!" Bumblebee shouted to her "Come on, we can't give up."

Both of the young Cybertronian's ran for their lives even as the Decepticon was just on them. He didn't even stop when they reached the Upper end.

As they reached the borders into Upper Tyger Pax, Renegade ran back to her best friend and yet another shadow loomed over them.

The Sparkling looked up dazed and the Decepticon following them stopped his gaze off the Sparkling's and raising his cannons to a much bigger foe.

Renegade looked up and she saw the looming shadow of her Mech Creator.

"Opiluk!" she cried out in relief as he raised his own cannons to the Decepticon's.

"It was a bad move, coming here after the Sparkling's!" he growled and even though it was a dire situation, Renegade pouted to Bumblebee "We aren't _Sparkling's_!"

Her yellow friend grabbed her arm and pulled her closer his optics wide and sad.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't save you Firefly. What sort of Mech would I be if I couldn't even save my mate?"

Renegade intertwined her fingers in Bumblebee's "That's ok Bee! You did save me from that Panther, besides…" she smirked at him "You will be a great Mech, any Femme that will mate with you would be the luckiest in all of Cybertron."

Bumblebee squeezed her servo before Renegade's Creator turned away "Come Little Ones."

They saw the Decepticon retreating and they scrambled after the much larger Robot.

"Thank you for saving us Opi" Renegade said gazing up at her Opiluk, almost stumbling and running to keep up with his large strides.

He looked down to her; "Why were you young ones out? Sparkling's shouldn't be out here when it is so dangerous."

Renegade went silent "I was scared by all the lights and the Seekers, they chased me and Bumblebee came to save me."

With a sigh, her Opiluk knelt down on one knee to focus on the little robots in front of him. "Look you two, I know that you both like to consider yourselves Youngling's but you aren't; you are Sparkling's and you both need to be protected."

He gathered up Renegade in his large servos "Words cannot explain how worried I was when you didn't arrive home. If any of those Decepticon's or Autobots, or whatever they are called, got you; I would have gone out and killed all of them to bring you back."

Renegade's optic ridges clicked as she started to get upset and her Opiluk murmured "Come on Sweetspark; let's get you and Bumblebee home."

He put her down and she latched onto her Opiluk's leg and with her other servo she grabbed Bumblebee's and held on.

As they walked away, a looming shadow watched them. Ruby optics calculated and watched their moves and there was clicking sound as a transmission was sent.

::Howlback to Soundwave::

There was an answering click and Soundwave's growly static voice came through:

::Report Howlback::

And all the Panther said was

::I have found the perfect candidate::

* * *

><p>"<strong>Docks attacked by Decepticon's, Alpha Trion killed"<strong>

Renegade was bundled up on her Danniluks lap when the news came on.

"**Optimus Prime announced the Leader of the Autobots. He decrees that all Autobots will stop and defeat the Decepticon's."**

"Look at what all this has come to" Opiluk stated angrily upon the news "The minute 'War' is mentioned Alpha Trion is killed and he hands a _bridge builder_ the Matrix and the title of 'Prime'? Rubbish!"

"What's going to happen Opi?" Renegade asked looking up at her Opiluk with wide baby blue optics.

Her Creator hesitated and stared at his creation; so innocent and unaware of the carnage around them. All he could do was protect his little family the best he could, protect them both from the Decepticon's and the Autobots.

"Nothing Sweetspark" he said to her comfortingly "Opi will protect you and we will all be safe." Renegade shuttered her optics at him "Even Bumblebee?"

"Even Bumblebee" her Opiluk said warmly and Renegade beamed at him "I believe in you Opi, you will protect Danniluk, me and Bumblebee."

She nestled her head against her Danniluk's chassis and her optics began to dim "Everything…will…be…alright."

She fell into recharge and her Danniluk looked to Opiluk who walked over and stroked his Sparkling's helm.

"If only I could say that with such surety and hope. I hope it stays that way for much longer." His Spark mate stood up gently and cradled their Sparkling to her chassis; "She is going to find the devastation of the war sooner than later my sweet" she said softly, her soft silver optics gazing to her mate.

"One day, whether we like it or not. She will end up with either blue or red optics and she will be out fighting a war that we failed to end."

The Mech sighed; "Beasts, the whole lot of them. What of the other Cybertronian's that didn't want a war? We are going to be caught up in a war between two sides who either way; want control of Cybertron."


	5. Chapter 4

**Hi Readers, another double update, I have the files sitting on my laptop but yeah, I'm being lazy and I wont upload them until I am a far way in front. More chapters about Howlback and how she deals with things. Renegade wont turn up for another couple of chapters.**

**As always, All rights go to Hasbro... Cept Renegade, she's all mine.**

**Mind for any mistakes I may have missed, drop in and leave a review :) Its muchly appreciated **

**Enjoy **

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><p>::Allspark located::<p>

::This is Starscream: All Decepticon's, mobilize::

::Barricade En-Route::

::Devastator reporting::

::Bonecrusher rolling::

::Blackout incoming::

::_All Hail Megatron::_

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><p>"Nokias are real nasty" Simmons said placing the phone in the middle of the glass box "You gotta respect the Japanese, they know the way...of the samurai."<p>

Maggie looked towards Secretary Keller "Nokia's from Finland?"

Secretary Keller could only shrug his shoulders "Yes, but he's, you know, a little strange. He's a little strange."

A small gun nozzle pointed towards the phone and Simmons stated "We're able to take the Cube radiation and funnel it into that box.

In a burst of blue light, the phone shuddered and then burst to life and an angry little Robot jittered around the box. When it realised that it was trapped, it rammed the glass a few times before it released its guns and began to shoot and fire missiles.

"Mean little sucker, huh?"

"That thing is freaky!" Maggie cried out stepping back a little back and Simmons said wickedly "Kind of like the itty bitty Energizer Bunny from hell huh?"

He allowed it to break the glass a little more before his companion leant over and murmured "Its breaking the box."

Just as Simmons picked up the remote to zap the little bot back into oblivion, there was a rumble and the metal walls surrounding everybody, broke away and were sliced into ribbons as the massive Panther Robot cascaded into the room.

There were screams of fright and a roar from Howlback, she snarled and she fell into the box, shattering it completely. The small jitter bot reached up and his little hooked hands got caught on Howlback's armour and he was flung away with her.

Howlback looked around the room and at the dazed humans before her gaze was drawn out the glass window and the Decepticon saw the massive form of the AllSpark and relief pooled in her circuitry.

The only way to get to it was through the window and down. Hell, she was willing to risk it. Her optics zoomed and whirred, making sure it was the AllSpark before her finely tuned sensors heard the sound barrier break and the roar of a plane that she knew would be a Decepticon most likely to be Seeker Starscream.

She spun her head to the humans before the one she hated with the curly hair began to yell and shout. She recognised Sam and she slunk to him, her red boring into his before saying coldly "Go and get Bumblebee, 'they' are here!"

"It's a female?" Simmons shouted spinning around "And they talk?"

Howlback growled "Idiot" then she leapt to the window, breaking the glass and jumping to the ground way below.

She landed on the concrete on all fours, but the sheer impact of the landing on her front left leg broke it. Her leg snapped right from its socket, bolts and metal pieces flying everywhere. Howlback tumbled head over heels and landed solidly on her back.

Her leg socket sparked dangerously from the broken wires and old red/blue energon leaked from her wounds. She had been suffering from Organic poisoning as well but not a severe case as what Renegade had.

Pain reverberated up and down her broken body and her damage report showed up on her internal processes. She was losing it and her capacity levels were getting dangerously low. If a Decepticon, ally or not, found her in the state she was in at that moment; they would kill her.

She rolled onto her right side and struggled up onto three legs and her leg armour cracked and clanged to the floor. "Argh" she growled "This was how Renegade felt, ten times worse." She wobbled precariously before her optics went back up to the AllSpark and she whispered "I got this. Then I can save Renegade."

The jitter bot she had unintentionally saved climbed up from her back and onto the top of her head garbling angry nonsense. It was a little frazzled from the free-fall and the abrupt stop but when it saw the severe damage that the Beast Bot had gotten it shut up and shook his head.

His little red optics flashed as he scanned the wound and his little hands transformed into a little syringe and he squirted out pure energon onto the large cracks running up and down Howlback's shoulder.

Having energon on her wounds felt better, but it didn't help when Howlback was missing an entire leg!

"Well, Well" Howlback said acknowledging him "We have a little medic in the making do we?"

The Micro-Bot whirred in response before it gestured to the AllSpark and Howlback agreed. She limped towards it. Her other deteoriating leg crumbling under the extra weight, more damage alarms sounded in her helm but Howlback knew that she wouldn't be needing them for much longer.

The alarms died off as she felt the power drawing her in and she knew that this was the power of Primus. The sheer enemy of Unicron, the Devastation God that the Decepticon's followed. The Micro-Bot jumped away from her and stood on the concrete out of the power barrier.

As Howlback approached the Cube, blue electricity sparked around her. Energy pulsed through her, filling her up with pure, hot power. It started off like a burn then the pain increased and it felt like somebody had grabbed Howlback's main energon lines and was pulling them out of her frame.

She resisted crying out in pain like an Autobot but the pain was quickly getting beyond the point of intolerable.

A pained, robotic growl escaped her mingled in with her own voice and she cringed and writhed as the blue began to overcome her and the electricity thrummed through her.

She looked down to her feet and saw the energon that had kept her going for centuries being squeezed out of her body, out of the cables in her feet.

She felt herself being filled with pure energon, her wiring and cabling that Renegade had dodgily tied in the past unwinding and reconnecting to their original ports. Her Protoform extended out, making a new stronger leg in its place. Her claws came back as sharp and lethal as ever, her busted senses, sensors and audio transmitter came back online and her broken and cracked black armour fused back together and sealed back to her form.

Howlback had been healed.

Centuries of pain, enduring the feat of slowly falling apart was over and the Beast Bot had never felt better.

She shook the energy off her, blue sparks and little fluorescent lights falling off her and landing on the concrete. She zipped through her internal processes and her Capacity level read a healthy 100%. Now there will be hell to pay when the Howler got back on track.

She let a satisfied growl escape her and the small jitter-bot climbed back onto her head.

That's when she started to feel hot in the chest. It immediately went up to a burn and Howlback shook her Chassis to try and dislodge said burning item but to no avail.

She opened her chest cavity and she growled to the micro-bot:

"Jitter!" she demanded at the Micro-Bot, using the first name she thought of when she laid optics on him "Get in there and get the slaggin' thing out!"

The Micro-Bot namely called 'Jitter' now climbed down Howlback's massive frame and he didn't seem too fazed about climbing into the 'Cons chassis where her Spark chambers were. He yanked the object out from where it was lodged and he held it out so Howlback could see what it was.

He showed her a misty and incredibly burnt cassette tape looking thing and Howlback snorted "Get rid of it."

She looked away and Jitter scanned it before pausing and deciding to put it back in the chest cavity where it wouldn't burn the grumpy 'Con.

There was no way he was going to throw 'that' out.

Howlback closed herself up, covering her most vulnerable spots up before she heard a whir and a click from behind her.

As quick as lightning, Howlback spun around and leapt, Jitter barely had a chance to hold on when the 'Con leapt, making him lurch back violently.

Howlback jumped on the culprit and then with adjusting optics she realised who it was; and she wasn't too impressed to see him.

Her fangs were inches from his face and wicked double optics whirred back at her "Howlback" he said in his impossible quick voice "May I ask where Renegade is?"

Howlback knew he was gloating about his partner Barricade offlining Renegade and she wasn't too amused and she roared in the small bots faceplates.

"Do not say another word!" she roared violently "Say one more thing and I will offline you and toss your pathetic body to Barricade."

Frenzy knew that Howlback didn't make empty threats, she wasn't a Femme to be messed with; she hadn't been a Leader of the Secret Police Assassination Squad for no reason. Her guns came out with alarming speed and she pointed them at Frenzy's face

"You'll do well in telling me how in Pit you got here Sparkling!" she growled and Frenzy shot back "I could ask you the same thing!"

Howlback put her steel foot on Frenzy's small neck strut and began to squash it before he garbled out "I was separated from Barricade when we had the fight against the Autobot Scout, I was damaged and didn't have a body. I transformed into the stupid Femme Organic's phone and she carried me all the way here!"

His optics whirred "Now you could-..."

"No!" Howlback growled "I don't tell you anything, you are insignificant, a weakling with the abilities of a Sparkling."

"How dare you!" Frenzy snarled "I am a Mech and you are nothing but a Femme that had been banished by the Master himself. Femme's stand under Mech's, to be their slav-..." Howlback swiped her claws across Frenzy's face making them spark as a dangerous warning and the little Mech shut his vocals and stared at the Beast Femme.

The Panther began to walk away "You're not worth my time, there is nothing you can do to stop me, and you wouldn't be able to square off with the humans. You're that useless."

Frenzy stood up and stood there defiantly and when he didn't walk away, Howlback bared her teeth and she spun around and mock ran at him, letting a dangerous "I will kill you" snarl escape her. That's when Frenzy darted away from the hangar and Howlback spun around to see Bumblebee and the humans following him into the hangar.

At the sight of her, the humans all raised their guns and Bumblebee looked to Sam whirring in worry. Sam held up his hands and he shouted "No stop! She's with us; she is only trying to help."

Howlback growled softly and she clicked to Bumblebee in Cybertronian;

"**We have to get out of here, the Decepticon's are here."**

Bumblebee looked up at the Cube holding out his servos as if he was hesitant to touch it before he looked over to Howlback whose gaze was intently on the AllSpark.

He reached up and harnessed the Cube's power, a wave of power washed over the ancient object and it began to shrink down to a size that would be able to be transported.

Bumblebee lowered his hands with the mini-AllSpark and Howlback wondered the possibilities of what would happen if she darted out and grabbed it now?

Would she be chased by the Autobots?

Or would the Decepticon's still see her as a traitor and kill her on sight once they found out that she had nabbed the AllSpark.

A Militant officer stood up and began to point out his hands and issue commands and Howlback looked at his designation and saw in bold letters 'LENNOX' across his layer of cloth.

That's when she realised that he was relaying orders to take the AllSpark to Mission City.

That was nowhere near Tranquillity and Howlback needed to go there to save Renegade.

Her vents gushed out warm air in anger and that's when LENNOX looked to her and pointed at her "Now with this one? What do we do with it?"

Howlback growled she was not an 'It'

She lifted her head as her optics whirred and she said to LENNOX in dark, female automated voice:

"Designation Howlback, Position Partner with Decepticon Leader Renegade Frontslayer. Defected from Decepticons estimated 4 million years ago and now helping Autobots with precious cargo."

The humans looked at her dumbstruck and Sam looked at her in shock:

"Y-You're names Howlback? D-Decepticon Leader?"

"No!" Howlback growled "Previously a Decepticon Beast Bot! Defected- Banished... Decepticon's will kill me on sight if approached by myself. Frontslayer banished Decepticon Leader."

She became aware of more missile bombings and she growled and twisted and transformed into her Alt Mode and Bumblebee done the same.

Inside the black Spider, the little Micro-Bot Jitter, sat on the seat looking a little dazed before Howlback's voice came over the speakers; "If you don't want to be part of a war get out now, otherwise, hold on tight and decide who you're going to stick with."

Jitter garbled before he dug his claws into the seat and Howlback had to accept the fact that she had a tiny partner to take care of.

Bumblebee pulled up beside her and she sensed Sam peeking out the window to her. She rumbled her engine and Bumblebee turned his wheels and drove out from the hangar and Howlback followed as they made the mad dash towards the city.

Meanwhile:

I am _Megatron_

* * *

><p>Howlback sped behind Bumblebee as they tore down the highway. Military vessels followed on behind as they came over the hill, they all caught sight of the other Autobots and Howlback kept on track; knowing that the 'Bots would scrutinizing her.<p>

They all pulled an impressive U-Turn and fell into the line of convoys and they all sped down the highway.

As they left the desert and onto more roads and highways where there was traffic, Howlback detected more Decepticon signals and pulled up sharply, letting every other car pass her until she spun around and Optimus pulled up and followed her.

She heard the shrill sound of police sirens and she saw Barricade and Bonecrusher. She screeched her wheels to slow down and she transformed into her panther mode and began to leap and bound down the highway, dodging and jumping over cars.

Optimus transformed as well, digging his feet into the tar of the road to try and slow himself down as Howlback ran beside him, her optics narrowed and getting ready to fight.

The Autobot Leader gestured out and shouted "Howlback, you target and lock onto Barricade and I will get the other one."

Howlback nodded and bounded off over the highway and towards the police cruiser. It swerved away from her until Barricade transformed and Howlback snarled "You just don't know when to stop do you?"

"Get all Autobot friendly Howlback?" Barricade roared "Renegade finally goes offline and you want revenge-..."

"You know NOTHING!" Howlback roared lunging up towards the black Decepticon "I will KILL you, you snivelling pain in the aft!"

Her claws sliced easily through Barricade's shoulder armour trying to get the energon cables underneath. She pushed her weight to the front half of her body and used to it to make Barricade lose his balance and they topple back onto the roads.

Barricade grabbed Howlback's neck and held her head away from him, as her teeth glinted dangerously. She couldn't get down and bite him when he had hold of such a delicate place.

"So much attitude" Barricade spat "Usually so stoic and robotic acting, I knew you acted like that to keep in touch with Soundwave. I knew there was a broiling Femme under those plates and now that Renegade is gone, it all comes tumbling out."

"No!" Howlback growled, swing her claws across Barricade's chest and peeling away more metal around his chest. "I'm just pissed off because you think you can hold me back while you are a glitch in my side!"

Resting her head on Barricade's servo, Howlback lifted her lower half and swung her back legs forward to reach out and scratch all the way down Barricade's face. He immediately let go of her and Howlback got all of her weight and pinned down Barricade's servos and glared down at him.

Her ruby optics bored into Barricade's crimson and she bared her teeth as large reflectors came out either aside of her head and a large red visor covered her delicate optics.

Barricade knew right away what she was going to do and he tried to lift his servos and knock the panther off. When she didn't budge, he activated his long wheeled spikes and spun them rapidly to damage the panther, but she simply activated her shield and the spikes bounced harmlessly off them, not strong enough to break the barrier.

"I am not going to kill you" Howlback spat maliciously in Barricade's faceplates "You are going to suffer until Renegade comes back, and then you will be begging her to end your suffering!"

Then the blinding light came out.

Barricade roared out in anger and with gruesome satisfaction, Howlback watched her former comrade's optics sizzle and burn. They faded from red to white as the small, delicate wires fried behind his helm and he roared out in anger and flailed around.

Howlback jumped away easily and she said mocking him "Can't kill what you can't see 'Cade, have fun being blind. Useless scrap."

Her optics narrowed back into slits and she transformed back into the Spider and drove back to Optimus Prime. He had just sliced Bonecrushers head in with his energon sword and his bright blue optics fell on the Spider.

Howlback didn't say anything, there was no way that she was an Autobot now, she was still a 'Con and yeah...she was still going to get Prime when she got the chance.

She hadn't gone all soft-sparked now.

The other Autobots and the Military were already long gone and Howlback wanted to catch up before Megatron or blasted Starscream got to the AllSpark first. She needed to revive Renegade; she needed to heal her broken body, extract the poison from her blood, get her out of stasis and have her back to normal.

She wanted Renegade, her partner, online and functioning. To go back to the way they used to be. Then they could kill all Decepticon's and Autobots that landed on Earth.

Yeah...Howlback liked that last idea.

Then, from her centre console, the Micro-Bot she had been calling Jitter popped out and from her speakers, Howlback began to talk to him "Are you able to calculate how long it will take to get to Mission City?"

A little camera appeared on his head and it projected a holographic image of a GPS map from its phone applications. It garbled on before its little voice found the English option and he said in his tiny voice "Approximately 20 minutes at current speed."

"That's not fast enough" Howlback snarled "Jitter, my computer system! Hook into it and access my data on the signatures on all of the Decepticon's and Autobots and show their location."

Jitter obliged and his little spiked hand turned into a little port and he plugged into Howlback's makeshift stereo. He was a little swayed by how much information that the Beast Bot held and how observant she and her Partner were. He searched through the gigabytes worth of Intel and opened up the signatures of the other Robots.

He opened the file and projected the images and maps right into the inside of Howlback's windscreen. It showed her location down the highway with Prime behind her. A lone red dot further back would have been Barricade. Then it showed two red dots and four blue dots almost at Mission City.

Howlback cursed in Cybertronian before she noticed a flickering red dot in the town of Tranquillity.

Renegade.

Did the flickering dot mean she was falling out of stasis and close to offlining?

Howlback pushed herself faster before saying "Jitter... You're rather helpful. Renegade would like to have a little useful 'Bot like you."

Jitter was a little confused "But I am with Howlback."

"Who is part of another robot!" she said firmly "If you are unfortunate enough to be stuck with me, then you're stuck with Renegade."

She sped up before she ordered:

"Establish a public link with Optimus Prime"

'Establishing Link'

"Optimus Prime" Howlback said through the link "I have received signals from both the Autobots and the Decepticon's that are in Mission City already. Four signals are the Decepticon's and the other four are yours."

"State the Decepticon designations" Prime said and Howlback read them off:

"Devastator"

"Blackout"

"Starscream:

"...-and Megatron"

Prime wen silent and Howlback snarled at him, "Just because I am helping you now, does not mean that I will later. I'm getting that AllSpark before all your pathetic Autobots and the Pit-spawned Decepticon's and taking it to revive Renegade."

"Is that your only intention?" Prime said over the link "You're taking the Cube to bring Frontslayer out of stasis? What of our planet Cybertron?"

"What of Cybertron?" Howlback scoffed "There is no point, my only family is Frontslayer. Both of our families were killed in the war. Just because I was employed and stationed with Soundwave did not mean that I was a Casseticon. My brother Ravage is; Not I. I had my own family, innocent 'Bots that were slain by the hands of an Autobot."

She fell silent, boiling over her words before she spat "There is no point going back to a cruel planet that holds nothing for me. I will be killed by your 'Autoscum' for being a 'Con or I will be hunted because I am still branded a traitor by Megatron and killed by the Decepticon's. They are my only options I will receive if I return to Cybertron."

A little bit of static came over the line and Prime started to say "Join-..." he didn't even get to finish as Howlback spat "Never!"

She shut off the link to Prime and sped ahead to get to Mission City. She had already told him far too much and there was no way she was going to tell him anymore.

* * *

><p>When Howlback reached Mission City, she was in time for explosions. Lots of them.<p>

She transformed back into her Beast form and she bounded down the City, weaving in and out of the buildings. She saw Starscream shoot overhead as a jet and Megatron was not too far behind him, he transformed and landed on a building not too far away from Howlback.

"Well, well" he snarled to her "It's the infamous Howler, say, where is your equally infamous partner Renegade Frontslayer?"

Howlback growled at him "She isn't here. I am here by myself."

She backed up and Megatron growled "Have you gone traitor as well Howlback? Finally decided to join the filthy Autobots?"

"NO!" Howlback snarled "This is none of your concern, you banished both Renegade and I and I will not be joining the 'Autoscum' any time in the future. So you needn't worry."

Out of her visions, Howlback switched it to infra-red and she instantly recognised the human Sam. She looked back to Megatron and decided that she was wasting precious time. She bounded up the road towards where Starscream was standing and she turned to the side and launched herself at the building.

She collided with the glass and dug in her claws to the beams for support before jumping away, around Starscream as he snarled "Get back here Femme!"

She ran down the road and towards where the bulk of the fighting was as Megatron flew over her head swooping around the city as Starscream followed her.

She caught sight of the other Autobots and she realised with sick horror, that they were being targeted by all of the Decepticon's.

"Protect yourselves!" Howlback roared running down the road and activating her shields "They're coming."

She heard an explosion behind her and she spun around to see Starscream skidding down the road, knocking cars out of his way as he came closer to her and the Autobots.

"It's Starscream!" Ironhide roared to the humans and he and Bumblebee rushed to a large toy truck in an attempt to protect not only themselves but the humans as well.

"Come on Bumblebee" Ironhide growled "Back up- Back UP!"

Howlback saw the missile fly towards them, colliding with the truck and obliterating it in an inferno of flames.

Fire and debris engulfed Howlback but her shield protected her from the brunt of it and she came out relatively unscathed.

She pushed through the smoke and saw Ironhide picking himself up from the road, struggling up to his feet and Bumblebee had been caught under the remains of the truck He crawled out and Sam went running over and saying worriedly:

"Bumblebee, your legs..."

"No" Howlback thought "Anybody but him."

She lowered her visor and switched visions to see past the acrid smoke and she saw the Scout's injuries. It was damage similar to Renegades, but he lost from the knee socket down. She watched him hand the AllSpark over to Sam and Howlback was outraged.

"He'll be crushed" Howlback thought before she reverted her voice inside her chassis.

"Jitter! Get an Organic signature on Samuel Witwicky. We have to keep on him if we are to secure the AllSpark!"

"On it" Jitter said activating Howlback's systems then he brought up an alarm "Howlback, its Megatron."

"Slag it to pit!" she cursed "I need that fraggin' AllSpark and the Single Processed Idiot gives it to Sam. Now Megatron is on my tail."

She ran to where the other Autobots were and she looked up to Ironhide and she shouted "Megatron is coming, he is after Sam. We have to get everybody out of here."

As she said that, Megatron appeared around the building and Howlback looked to Sam and yelled out to him "Get the Pit out of here, if Megatron gets that AllSpark we may as well offline ourselves now."

Sam bolted up to the LENNOX Captain where he began to relay orders expertly and the Beast Bot looked up to Ironhide and Ratchet, "You look after Sam and get him where he needs to go to save that AllSpark. I will distract Megatron for as long as I can."

The Weapons Specialist and the Medic nodded and Jazz came from behind them and stood beside Howlback "I'm coming with you."

Howlback's red visor slid down across her optics as she glared at him and the silver Saboteur only smirked at her, his own blue visor sliding down across his optics.

"Alright" she growled "Let's bite his aft."

Jazz snorted his hand transforming into his circular shield "You've really changed Howler, I think you have grown out of the battle lust from pointless fighting."

"Do not speak to me" Howlback snarled "Let's get this over and done with."

Both Autobot and Decepticon Saboteurs, unlikely allies, sprung forward and Howlback activated her shield and her reflectors.

A blinding light engulfed the street, blinding Megatron.

"Good job Howler" Jazz praised and Howlback felt her spark flutter momentarily at the praise, something she had never gotten off her Decepticon comrades.

She lunged for Megatron, not allowing fear to run through her cables. This was something she wouldn't have dared to do when she was serving directly beneath him, but now, this is what she had wanted to do to him for centuries after he banished her.

She had to work fast, Megatron wasn't immune to her lights but he got over it quicker than any other robot without a visor. Her claws dismantled his chest plates trying to reach his spark as Jazz tried to take out his guns.

Megatron instantly grabbed Howlback and he lifted her away from him and _threw_ her into the building. Howlback's shield shattered upon impact and her alarms shrilled.

"Jitter?" she asked "Status?"

She felt a teensy bit relieved when she heard the tiny Mech's voice: "Shield barrier broken, I will try and bring it back up."

Howlback struggled out of the trashed building and fell right to the concrete below.

"Howlback you traitorous Femme!" Megatron roared "You have betrayed your fellow Decepticon's."

"I am doing this for my own selfish reason" Howlback snarled "I am doing this for no one but myself."

She launched back at her Leader, she extended her guns and shot at him, trying to bring him down at least.

"I'm with you Howler" Jazz shouted shooting as well; he got a good hit at Megatron's chest plates knocking the undamaged one off and revealing his spark chamber.

Howlback saw Megatron's optics come back online and she let a rare yelp escape her as Megatron's clawed hand grabbed her by the neck and slammed her back against the building.

She struggled to wiggle out, her back legs curling upwards as she tried to claw at Megatron's arm.

She managed to claw at a cable and energon leaked from his lines. From her chassis, Howlback felt movement. She saw Jitter emerge and he scrambled to Megatron's arms and pulsated a nasty shock to the Decepticon.

It wouldn't have caused any harm, but it was still enough for Megatron to receive a shock and release his death grip on Howlback.

She crashed back down to the concrete and Jazz fell victim as Megatron aimed his attack on the small Autobot. Howlback knew instantly; "No!" she shouted struggling up.

Megatron smirked at her and grabbed Jazz, then transforming and flying off over Howlback's head. There was nothing she could do, she couldn't fly after them and there was no way she would have been able to keep up on foot.

She had failed to save another comrade.

She saw Megatron land on the top of a building not too far away and she started to run towards it. She saw the Saboteur start to fight back as Megatron held him upside down, his cannons flashing and Howlback was so close now that she heard Megatron growl "Come here you little Cretin."

"He's all the way up there" Howlback thought hopelessly "I can't reach them." She stopped and looked up helplessly as Megatron pulled the Autobot Saboteur apart.

She stood there stunned before there was a loud screech behind her and through the mirrors on her head, Howlback saw Prime join the fray. He transformed and stood there battle pose and he growled "Megatron."

Megatron looked down and saw his enemy and he roared "Prime!"

He carelessly tossed the two halves of Jazz aside and his top half sailed towards Howlback and it landed a few metres in front of her.

She trotted over, all her guns and missiles hanging off and bouncing uncomfortably against her body.

She stood over Jazz who was still just barely online, energon pooling around Howlback's feet and Jitter jumped down from her chassis and started to braid the smaller leaking cables together to hold energon.

"I'm sorry" Howlback whispered and Jazz said quietly "It aint yer fault Howler, ya tried and I failed yeh! Do me one favour will ya?"

Howlback nodded briefly and Jazz' words got slower "I know yeh don't like the 'Bots but... save Firefly and bring her back, not...only for your sake bu' for the Baby Bot as well... After all these years, she still means a...a lot to him."

"I will" Howlback said and Jazz' optics went sad before they flickered and went offline and his head fell back against the road.

Howlback saw Jitter hang his head, dropping the cables he had been braiding and all the Femme said was "Its War Micro-Bot, a lot of this will happen; get used to it."


	6. Chapter 5

**Ever wonder what could happen to the little 'Bot that Simmons killed? **

**Yeah, my Jitter is part of this story now :) Hope he is a sufficing and plausible character **

* * *

><p>Howlback turned away from the carnage that had been her brief ally and Jitter followed after and climbed up her head and back to her head. On the inside of her visor, Howlback detected the signatures of the Bots around her.<p>

She saw Dots signifying the Decepticon's down town and she began to run towards them to help with what she could. She heard more gunfire and as she rounded the corner, she saw Devastator fall to the ground in a fiery inferno.

The military were cheering and Bumblebee was perched on the back of a pick-up truck looking a little worse for wear.

Then she looked up and saw Blackout land on a building not too far away.

"I-do-not-have-time-for-this" Howlback vented angrily and Jitter said trying to be helpful.

"The human Sam Witwicky is heading towards that building" he gestured to said building "Megatron is in pursuit."

Howlback turned towards the building and she withdrew her heavy guns and kept the missiles as she yet again, ran after Sam and Megatron.

She was beginning to feel like she was running around in circles.

Then as she began to run, she felt a sharp pain graze at her leg as a loud bang sounded behind her.

She let a growl escape her and Jitter bought up a screen that showed behind her. That's when she saw a lone Militant Officer by himself, the culprit, a rifle in his hands.

"How dare he!" Howlback thought angrily "I'm no Autobot and I don't give Pit if I kill a lousy human."

She sprung over to him and yanked the gun away from his hands in her mouth and she snapped the gun cleanly in half.

Then she knocked him off his feet and she heard his crazed mumbling "Must kill the robots with the red eyes, must kill the robots with the red eyes."

"I'm not a bad robot unless you piss me off" Howlback growled into his face "and you have" she roared at the human until she heard a voice yell out behind her.

"Howlback! What are you doing?"

She turned her head and she saw Ironhide come running over with a stern and angry look on his face. Howlback stepped off the human and she said in a dark voice "The little fragger shot at me while I am going out and trying to save the human!"

She glared up at Ironhide, the sun glinting off her visor and casting the Specialists face in a red hue his blue optics narrowed, like he was trying to believe whether or not the Beast Bot was telling the truth until he heard the soldier:

"Must kill the robots with the red eyes."

"Humans fraggin' mad" Howlback snarled diverting her attention back to the building where she saw Megatron at the top of the building. "I have an AllSpark to go and save."

She let Ironhide pick up the bloomin' mad soldier as she dashed towards the building and she saw Megatron bring out his mace and swing at a statue that she realised that Sam was hiding behind with the Cube.

She ran to the side of the building where she saw Prime and she barked at him "Get up there and save him! Megatron will crush him."

Prime looked up before he decided to wedge himself between the two building and shimmy his way up to try and grab Sam when Megatron knocked him from the building.

Howlback couldn't do anything, relying on all four of her legs rendered her useless on the ground outside the building while Sam could lose his life to the bastard Megatron.

She watched Prime get halfway to the top just as Sam yelled out in fright and horror as he was knocked from the building. Prime reached and caught him and Howlback was a little bit disappointed that he didn't drop the Cube as he fell because then she could have nabbed it.

She was a loud rumble as Prime and Megatron launched from either the building wall or roof and plummeted to the earth below. Megatron's servos reached for Prime but the Autobot was just out of his grasp.

They both hit the ground with a rumble that shook the city and they both lay there stunned. Prime turned his head and looked at Sam, his bright blue optics whirring as they focused on the human.

"You risked your life for the Cube" he rasped and Sam said "No win without sacrifice."

Howlback didn't dare come over when Megatron was so close, but her audio's perked when she heard Prime say "If all else fails, I want you put the Cube in my chest. I will sacrifice myself to destroy it."

"NO!" Howlback thought fiercely "Stupid Autobot, why would you do that? I have to get it."

She looked to Sam who began to run away and she thought "If I can trick it off him and get it for myself, I would be able to get away and we wouldn't have to destroy it until I bring back Renegade."

Thoughts and ideas buzzed in her processor until she backed up and saw Megatron heave himself up. His faceplates turned up in disgust when he saw a human screaming below him and he lifted his finger and flicked the man into a car whilst muttering "Disgusting."

There was a loud thunk when the human hit the car and Megatron looked up to see Sam and the Cube and he quickly tried to get to his feet.

He raced towards the human and Prime, still temporarily stunned, couldn't heave his massive body up. Opting to fling his leg out and tripping the Decepticon over, Megatron done an incredible stumble and he roared to Sam who was cowering in a trench in the road.

"Mine! AllSpark!"

"Sam!" Howlback roared running over, swallowing her fear of the Leader "Don't give it to him." She stood over the human who ran between her legs and with a bold swipe of her talons, Howlback scratched Megatron right across the face.

Severed cables sparked and blue energon dribbled down his face and Prime yelled out "Sam, put the Cube in my chest!"

"You can't do that" Howlback said to Sam "Don't kill Prime, the 'Bots need him."

She intended for Sam to hand the Cube over to her, but what she and Prime didn't expect was for Sam to run out between her legs as Megatron went to kill Howlback and shove the Cube into Megatron's spark chamber.

"NO Sam!" both Howlback and Optimus yelled and a bright orange light surrounded them and the Beast Bot watched helplessly as the object she had been after for centuries disintegrate into Megatron's chest.

She...failed

Megatron roared out, clutching at his chest, sounding like a Beast Bot before falling back to the ground with a 'bang.'

Howlback saw Prime struggle up and she could only fall back onto her back legs staring at Megatron's burnt body and the Cube that was now destroyed.

"I failed...I failed..."

They were the only words that reverberated through Howlback's processor.

Prime stood over Megatron, he reached into his chest and pulled out a shard of the AllSpark, he said mournfully: "You gave me no choice brother."

"It's gone" Howlback said hopelessly.

All her Decepticon anger and frustration melted away and all she wanted to do was hide and drown in her sorrows. "It's gone and...And I couldn't heal Renegade. I-I promised Jazz to bring her back to Bumblebee."

She didn't even move, even when the Military pulled up, Bumblebee on the back of his Pick-up Truck and Ironhide and Ratchet came back over, with the Medic holding the two pieces of Jazz. "Prime" he said "We couldn't save him."

"Aw Jazz" Prime said, his faceplate's turning down in sorrow, then he looked to the humans and thanked them. Saying how they had become their allies, even when they had lost one of their own.

Prime recited his well-known speech that Howlback had heard back on Cybertron.

The Beast Bot started to see red and signs and numbers began to run up her visor and the anger came back at an alarming point and burst in her chassis.

She let out a pained and frustrated roar that broke glass windows beside her and she got to her feet and ran to a large 4WD and knocked it into the air with a strong swipe of her paw.

All the Military drew their guns and Prime yelled "Howlback, please."

Bumblebee whirred out and called to her but the Beast Bot was overcome with blind fury and her audios were shut off to anyone or anything.

Another roar escaped her and then she took off down the road at a blinding speed before transforming into her Alt Mode and speeding off into the horizon.

She didn't care anymore.

* * *

><p>"I know where she'll be."<p>

Howlback didn't stop speeding until she reached Tranquillity. She refused to stop.

She knew the Autobots would track her down eventually and she didn't know what was going to happen to her.

Was she going to be imprisoned and experimented on?

Was she going to be killed?

Hell, she a Decepticon Beast Bot; nobody cared what would happen to her.

Howlback raced blindly through the streets, researching memory files where her and Jazz had left her, mere days ago. She screeched into the driveway and into the backward where she swiped down the entire door, splintering the whole thing before seeing the sight of a dark, stasis locked Renegade.

She looked terrible, her armour rusted and fallen off. Scrap metal patches here and there, broken crests and just...in general.

Her optics were dark and all Howlback did was whine hopelessly and crawl over to her partner and bury herself under her arm.

She felt no thrum of a spark.

Renegade was cold and silent.

Howlback stared into space before flickering back into her memory files and reliving memories she had stored in her processor.

Howlback had finally been defeated.

* * *

><p>A large red and blue truck rumbled down the streets of Suburban Tranquillity followed a large yellow Ambulance Hummer. After a few days of down time and repairs, Optimus Prime knew he had to go and find Howlback.<p>

The Beast Bot had been distraught in Mission City. Her only goal, to get the Cube and revive her partner.

Prime had wanted to tell her that Ratchet could fix Renegade but the Panther had insisted on taking things the easy way.

He finally got the signal on the Decepticon Femme and it led them into a gloomy part of the town. Prime reached the end of the cul-de-sac and climbed over the fallen house, followed by his medic. They reached the shed and saw vicious scratch marks on the old wood and the splintered door barely hanging on one hinge.

Optimus knelt down one knee and looked inside and with a sorry spark, saw the patched, hopeless frame of what had been once, a proud and fierce Femme.

Howlback was lying next to her, her optics offline, memories playing in her visor.

"Look at Frontslayer Ratchet" Prime said "I had not realised what state she had been in."

The Medic looked in and his optics widened "Prime- I don't know."

They looked back to each other and then there was a shrill alarm from a tiny 'Bot perched on Howlback's head.

The Beast Bot was up in an instant, teeth bared and guns out for the ready but when she saw Prime she stopped short and snapped "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help you Howlback, I bought Ratchet to look at Frontslayer and he will be able to fix her and bring her out of stasis."

Howlback looked at the Autobots wearily; "I don't know if I can trust you" she growled and Prime said to her:

"Howlback, Renegade Frontslayer is a good Cybertronian. I have no reason to kill her and if it is true that she was attacked by her own comrades by what Bumblebee has said I will grant both you and her sanctuary until you decide on what you want to do."

Howlback was stunned. Half of her wanted to attack Prime and tell him to get slagged but then her other half whirred, wondering if he was telling the truth.

"W-What about Jitter?" Howlback finally asked looking up to the small Robot she had saved and Prime nodded "Yes he can come along as well. Just trust me Howlback; I will not bring any harm to Frontslayer."

He drew the Beast Bot out and she watched with a critical eye as Ratchet leant in and grabbed the halves of Renegade.

Old armour fell off with clangs and the organic poisoning she had in her cables leaked and dripped off her frame.

Her head lolled back and Ratchet looked to the pieces and then back to Prime who made an excuse for Howlback to transform and go out to the street. The Beast Bot did so and Ratchet sent a to Prime.

::She's sure that Frontslayer is in stasis?::

Prime nodded and he felt his spark fall when Ratchet said the words:

::Optimus this Femme is offline::

* * *

><p>Howlback knew that she was going to be locked up the minute she went back with the Autobots. The humans distrusted her and they thought she was a liability.<p>

She watched the hustle and bustle from behind solid bars, even though she knew that she could break them with enough force, she didn't want to get on the 'Bots bad side while they had Renegade in the medical bay.

Jitter came and went as he pleased, being small enough to fit through the bars of many things. He always came back to Howlback but the small Mech had grown attached to the frame of Renegade and all he wanted to do was see her again.

Howlback was just miserable, trapped and confined.

One slip up could cost not only her life but Renegade's chances as well. So she lied there against the wall with her visor down and replayed her memories over and over again.

Ironhide was on 'Howlback' watch at this particular time and he walked past and saw the Beast Bot laying there with her metallic red visor covering her face. He couldn't see if she was in recharge or just watching memory files again.

'Bots and humans couldn't see through the front of Howlback's visor. It was like a one way mirror and she was the only one that could see out, while the others could only see a red mirror staring back at them.

Ironhide was tempted to clang on the bars to rouse the Panther but he knew he could run the risk of startling the unstable Femme and she could cause severe damage to the temporary hangar they were staying in.

"Are you going to do anything or are you just going to stand there?"

Ironhide looked back to Howlback who got to her feet and lifted her visor.

Her red optics glinted in the dimness of her cell and Ironhide growled "I'm only looking after the prisoner."

Howlback went up the bars of the cell and pushed her boxy head between the bars, her nose only fitting through.

"Is that what I am? Just a Decepticon that you Autobots praise in catching? A prisoner, an experiment?"

"You're the only Beast Bot on Earth" Ironhide said "The scientists do want to experiment on you but Prime has forbidden them because of a certain Baby Bot."

"Bumblebee only cares about Renegade" Howlback said, pulling her nose away from the bars and sitting back to look at Ironhide. "While they're both in there getting for repairs, Bumblebee will be there with her every day while I'm rusting in a prison cell."

Ironhide was a little impressed at how flat and monotone Howlback was speaking. He was expecting her to lose the plot any moment now so he had a reason to shoot at her but the more she spoke, the more Ironhide was intrigued how much more he could get out of the Beast Bot.

"They were good friends back on our home planet" Ironhide stated and Howlback stared off into space. "That was before I recruited Renegade and made her join the Decepticon's."

"You made her join?"

"I needed a host. Soundwave had gotten in our home in the Beast District and killed my family who fought back. My brother Ravage and I were taken and we were re-programmed to be Casseticon's. The experiment failed on me but it meant I needed a host."

Howlback remained flat and monotone;

"Ravage stayed with Soundwave and remained his little pet while I became part of the Secret Police to assassinate Autobots in the Great War. I refused to join with a Robot in my Faction or any robot until I began to get weaker."

Ironhide wanted to interject and say something but Howlback just rambled on with her story "Then in one fight in Lower Tyger Pax, millions of years ago, When Alpha Trion had his last days of Prime. I found a little Sparkling that I decided to follow. It was little Renegade Frontslayer and Bumblebee as little ones. I waited until Renegade was old enough before I fused myself to her, then, she didn't have a choice but to become a Decepticon. She will always say it was her choice but the truth was, I forced her."

"So you separated Renegade and Bumblebee, made her a 'Con?"

"I didn't like Bumblebee, I knew he was going to join the Autobots when he was old enough and he was going to take Renegade with him. But I interfered and ruined his chances and he lost his closest friend."

Howlback got to all fours and her optics gleamed maliciously "When Renegade joined the ranks of the Decepticon's and Megatron realised she could be a host for Beast Bots or Soundwave's Casseticon's. That was when he began to manipulate her, in turn, me."

"Has she ever forgiven you?" Ironhide asked and Howlback paused slightly before she said a little gruffly "We have been friends and partners for Millennia and I had never asked if she forgiven me. I did make her choose between me and Bumblebee."

For once, the quick, witty thinker had been stumped and she began to really wonder if Renegade had forgiven her.

* * *

><p>Ratchet stared down at the broken pieces of Renegade and didn't know what to do.<p>

Her pieces were much more complicated than Jazz', her armour being older and the way she had re-directed her cables and wires.

Ratchet didn't know how the Femme had survived for so long being in the condition she was. He was able to repair her, if he tore her town and built from her Protoform frame and up. He didn't want to enrage Howlback, who still thought that her Partner was in Stasis Lock.

Only Prime knew that the Femme was offline and long gone.

"How you survived, I will never know" Ratchet sighed before stripping off the old armour off the Femme's frame. He scrapped the useless pieces and undid all the wires and cables and let her drain out all the vile, old energon that had been sitting in her body.

The liquid splashed onto the floor over Ratchet's feet and he looked down in disgust and remorse. He actually felt sorry for the Decepticon Femme.

She must have been in so much pain up until she offlined. Living every day in hope that somebody would find her.

When he succeeded in pulling off the armour and looking down at the damaged Protoform was when he began to work. He had to make do with human technology until he could get his Med Bay and running and fix Renegade the best he could.

He couldn't guarantee that she would wake up and be the Renegade everybody knew.

Ratchet opened up her helm and saw a little flashing red light and with shock he realised that the Femme mustn't have been completely offline.

He opened her chest plates and put his hand over her Spark Chamber and felt a tiny thrum of life under his fingertips.

"I got you Renegade" Ratchet muttered spinning around and activating the computers. He turned back around and tried to unlock the tiny clasps that held the Spark Chamber together. His fingers were far too big and without help he couldn't get to her Spark.

"Slag" Ratchet cursed "If I don't hurry, she will offline."

"Renegade will offline?" a little voice broke out.

Ratchet turned around and towards the door of his makeshift Med Bay he saw a tiny silver Mech inching closer, his bright red optics weary.

"I cannot get her chamber open, there is still a little life left in her spark."

"I will help; I can get in there and unlock anything."

The small Mech scurried across the floor and towards Ratchet, climbing up the bed and onto Renegade. He peered into her chamber, before disappearing into the Femme's chassis before the door to her chamber flicked open.

"What is your name?" Ratchet asked and the little Mech popped back up and stared up at the Autobot Medic "I have been designated a name by Howlback, so I go by Jitter."

"Jitter?" Ratchet asked before nodding his head and asking no further questions, "Thank you."

"Both Ratchet and Jitter gazed into the Spark Chamber and saw Renegade's spark glowing faintly. It was fading fast and Ratchet turned back to the bundles of equipment he had salvaged around the base.

He grabbed some cords and cables and said "I have no choice but to hook my spark onto Renegades for support, it will not handle the pressure I will be putting the frame under."

Jitter nodded and Ratchet handed him the ends of the cables and Jitter hooked them into Renegade's dying spark.

Ratchet done the same with his own and Jitter looked up and asked "Would that be a drain on your Spark while you work on her?"

The Medic looked at the Micro-Bot "I am a strong Mech with many millennia behind me. I will be able to survive this repair to save a Femme."

Ratchet leant over Renegade's Protoform and saw the old joints and bolts holding her together and he turned around to grab his wrenches to see Jitter already holding the one he had intended to get. Ratchet took it off him slowly and Jitter said "I'm interested in the Medical Field; I have been learning a lot of interesting things."

Ratchet started to undo the bolts in the frame, "It would be good to have some help around here, especially a Micro-Bot like yourself." He handed the wrench back to Jitter who raced back and forth giving the old medic what he needed until he relayed an order.

"Can you unlock her helm and look at her processor and her CPU?"

Jitter obliged and went up to Renegade's head and flicked it open and climbed inside and hooked himself up to the Femme's CPU unit and found the files to be corrupt. She wouldn't be able to come back online with a corrupt CPU.

"Files are corrupt!" Jitter yelled out to Ratchet "I'm hooking into it now and trying to get around the damage."

Ratchet went over to where Jitter was working and saw that the little Mech had opened up holographic screen from the Camera in his head and he was typing in commands to try and repair the processor.

The old medic was intrigued on how fast the little Mech worked and he enquired "Can you put that data onto the computers so I could have a look?"

Jitter paused in his work and he said "My Alt Mode wont hook up to a Computer, I was created by the AllSpark from a mobile phone. I don't have that much abilities and limited applications to process."

Ratchet looked away for a moment before saying "If you stick around with the Autobots, I would be able to find you an Alt Mode that will still be small enough to fit your frame but more enhanced." Jitter was tempted on the offer but he knew that Howlback didn't like the Autobots, but she also didn't like the Decepticon's."

Jitter hesitated, if it meant bringing Renegade back online and meeting her for the first time he would take it. "I'll stay" he said slowly "But no matter what, I will stay with Renegade. But I will offer my services to the Autobot Medics."

He went back to trying to destroy the corruptions in Renegade's processor before he accessed the backup systems to try and see what services and functions she still had of her body.

When he opened them up, he was amazed to see no numbers of functions of her body but memory files. Gigabytes of memories that she had stored in there.

Jitter paused and saw snippets of memories whiz past in his optics and he turned his head back to Ratchet and said "I will run a Defrag and format her processor."

Ratchet looked at him from Renegades chest "You want to reformat her entire body? I thought we wanted her back to the way she was?"

Jitter optics gleamed "I have a backup of her memories that she has stored over the millennia. She wiped her backup CPU and filled it with memories. I think we can have the Renegade everybody wants back."

"Not me" grumbled Ratchet "Back in the day, she was a despicable Femme, ruthless and uncaring. She had killed many Autobots along with Howlback. They were a team that nobody crossed unless they wanted to be offline. I'm only helping her because Optimus asked me to."

Jitter removed the backup file, a green chip with numerous wires and chips and held it out to Ratchet as he reformatted the processor of Renegade's.

As long as he had that safe, Ratchet could finish the repairs on the frame.

He was a good Medic and he knew what he was doing. He had millennia on Jitter who had been relying on a crappy internet system in his phone applications and limited applications. All he could do was sit back and learn what Ratchet did.

Being a medic would be interesting and it captivated Jitter on the technology and Intel he would learn. He would be willing to learn and if Ratchet already seemed to be impressed by his work, he might let him stay and watch what else he works on.

He hoped everything went alright.

* * *

><p>He knew he couldn't walk properly yet.<p>

His legs were still healing and they were still sore, but under strict orders from Ratchet; Bumblebee knew he would dare break the grumpy medic's orders.

He'd crawl if he had to.

He eased off the makeshift berth in the hangar and sat down and began to shuffle across the concrete. He made sure he wasn't disrupting the healing process for his legs but he just had to see how the repairs on Renegade were going.

He shimmied across the floor intending to get to the Med Bay until a large shadow loomed over him. Bumblebee froze and then looked up slowly; he saw Prime standing over him looking down.

"Bumblebee" he said "What are you doing?"

Bumblebee whirred and looked in the direction of the Med Bay and Prime knew right away what he wanted to do.

"You want to see Frontslayer don't you?"

Bumblebee looked back ahead and Prime shook his head.

"I'm sure Ratchet will let you see her if I ask."

Then without warning, Prime bent down and lifted Bumblebee right into the air holding him bridal style and walked off towards the Med Bay.

Bumblebee was horrified and he began to whir desperately and gestured to be put down. Prime ignored him and took him to the Hangar that was serving as the Med Bay. Ratchet had put up a large tarp to block the entrance and Prime called out:

"Are we alright to come in Ratchet? We have a visitor."

"I aint finished with the Femme yet" Ratchet growled from the Bay wrenching the tarp aside before stopping and optics focusing on Bumblebee being carried in Optimus' arms.

"Err ok?" he asked and he stepped aside and let Optimus and Bumblebee in.

Ratchet pulled aside another steel berth that Bumblebee could sit on and put it next to the body of Renegade. Then both Ratchet and Prime stepped back and saw Bumblebee put his arm over Renegade and his optics dimmed as he looked down the Femme's offline optics.

He traced the crest on her head, his thumb brushing over the Decepticon symbol on her forehead before lying down next to her, whirring and clicking softly. Bumblebee could have said a thousand words but without his vocals he couldn't.

His actions said it all though.


	7. Is This Where We Say Goodbye?

**Get out your guns**

**Battles begun, are you a Saint, or a Sinner?**

**If loves a fight, than I shall die**

**With my heart on a trigger**

**They say before you start a War**

**You better know what you're fighting for**

**Well baby, you are all that I adore**

**If love is what you need **

**A Soldier I will be**

_**Angel With A Shotgun- The Cab**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Is this where we say goodbye?<strong>_

* * *

><p>Explosions had become a daily occurrence on Cybertron.<p>

The Planet had been destroyed and ravaged by war, innocent civilians either forced to join a side or being killed.

It wasn't fair.

Large silver optics looked to the sky as Seeker jets shot across the sky as the Decepticon's fired at the Autobots.

Renegade Frontslayer dashed down the street and readied her cannon, ready for a fight if necessary. She had not endured vorns of training at the Academy to be killed in the street.

She was no longer a Sparkling; having grown out of that stage three vorns ago. She was now a proud Youngling, ready to go out and 'almost' fend for herself.

Though she was still young, Renegade's spark had hardened as the war raged on around her. She wasn't clueless to the carnage around her, disliking the fighting as much as her beloved Opiluk. He had managed to get his family out choosing a side for a long time now and they remained on neutral ground.

Renegade raced down the street, her eyes trained on the road ahead of her and keeping aware of her surrounding in case some slagger decided to jump her. Another explosion racked the city and another tall building that was down in Upper Tyger Pax collapsed.

Renegade had to get back to her Creators, if any Autobot or Decepticon fond neutrals there would be Pit to pay and Renegade did not want be part of a stupid War.

She lowered her wheels, retracting back her pedes and she scooted down the street with amazing speed. She was getting better at controlling herself and she could fight at moments when needed, even though her Opiluk didn't want her to learn how to fight, he didn't have a choice.

Alarms screeched around Upper Tyger Pax and another alarm went off in Renegade's helm and she spun around to see a Decepticon go flying over her, landing on the ground, his red optics flickering and going offline.

Renegade looked up alarmed and she saw another Cybertronian raise his cannons and she saw the bright blue optics. It was an Autobot.

She pointed her own cannon but through the smoke she saw the silhouette and he neared she recognised who it was immediately.

She dropped her cannon and she whispered "Bumblebee?"

Her long time closest friend lowered his cannon and without warning, he dashed towards her and embraced her tightly.

"Renegade, I'm so glad that you're okay."

The Femme pulled away from her friend and looked sadly at his blue optics, "Y-You joined the Autobots? You're a soldier fighting in the War?"

Bumblebee's optics saddened; "I didn't have a choice Firefly, this war isn't going to stop; a-and the Autobots, they are good. Optimus Prime is a kind spark who cares for all of Cyber-…"

"No he doesn't!" Renegade shouted furiously "He is part of the reason why Cybertron is like this! Optimus Prime and Megatron! If it weren't for those two, we wouldn't be in a pointless War, don't become a mindless puppet Bumblebee; please don't do it. I don't want to lose you."

Bumblebee looked at Renegade sadly and he put his servos on her shoulders, then he put his helm against Renegades and a spark buzzed through her processor.

"You won't lose me Firefly' he said softly "Because I'm asking you to join me."

Renegade pulled back startled, still feeling a little woozy and she stared at her friend in disbelief. "J-Join you?"

Bumblebee nodded "Come with me and join the Autobots, you are a strong Femme Firefly and they would be glad to have a skilful warrior on their side."

He searched her optics and Renegade muttered "But Bee, my Opiluk. H-He would be so disappointed in me for joining the War; he didn't want me to join." She went to go say something else but another explosion racked the city and Renegade's bonds to her Creators began to burn uncontrollably.

She spun around and saw the flames reach the sky and she breathed out "No!"

She ran from Bumblebee who followed her anyway and they ran down the twists and curves of Upper Tyger to reach Renegade's Creators.

What they didn't know was that four stealthy black paws followed them and ruby eyes glinted maliciously, "Fragging Autobots! He is not taking her away to join them! I will not allow that to happen!"

Renegade cried out in horror when she saw her home up in flames. She tried to sense her Opiluk or her Danniluk but she found nothing and she ran to the building only for Bumblebee to grab her servo and yank her back.

"Firefly! It's too dangerous."

"I can't feel them" Renegade cried hysterically "I can't find their bonds."

She pulled away from her friend and saw the culprits down the street; a pair of Decepticon's hauling off two immobile Cybertronian's.

Anger filled her and she activated her cannons and raced towards the faceless 'Cons. She shot at them furiously, her other hand transforming into a large glowing blue blade and sliced at them furiously.

She fell them even before Bumblebee reached her.

It was a messy kill and energon was everywhere but despite that, Renegade let a cry escape her and she fell to her knees and saw her offlined Creators. Nothing had prepared her for the death of the ones she loved.

She knew War was hard, but not as hard as this.

She reached out and cried "Oh Opi, I failed you! Opi- no, please don't leave me." She let her head fall onto his chassis and she was greeted by the stone cold hardness of death. She hadn't been there for them; she had failed to protect them.

She curled up against her Opiluk her optics clicking more and more as her grief filled her. It was great vulnerability for her to be sitting there in a war torn street over the bodies of her Creators but she couldn't help it.

The energy from her legs left her and she fell null and void in her spark. Her spark searched frantically for the bond to her Creators, thrumming hotly in her chest in her sheer panic. Her frame began to tremble and her silver armour began to glow a slight, blue hue.

"Firefly" Bumblebee whispered bending down and trying to help the Femme up "Come on, we can't be here. It's too dangerous. Come with me and I will try to make it better."

His dearest friend looked up at him, grief etched into her faceplates and she whispered "G-Go with you? T-To the Auto-…" she latched onto his servo and leant her head against Bumblebee's chassis and the Mech felt his spark began to burn as he held her close.

"I don't want you to leave me" Bumblebee whispered "I can't have you away from me. You can join the Autobots and we will finish all of this and your Creators can rest in Well of Allsparks." Renegade looked back up at Bumblebee with weakness in her faceplates "I-I don't know Bee! I'm so…"

Before she could finish there was another rumble and from the dilapidated building near them. Two Decepticon's landed and Bumblebee shoved Renegade behind him and he said fiercely:

"What do you want Starscream!"

The Decepticon chuckled evilly and he gazed to his companion "What do you think we are here for Soundwave? How about a pretty silver eyed Femme?"

Bumblebee raised his cannon and with his free servo, he reached behind him and touched Renegade assuringly who was peeking out from behind his legs in terror. "I am not letting you take her away from me; she is of no use to you."

Starscream jumped from the ledge and landed right in front of the Autobot Youngling making him stumble dangerously from the sheer force of the power.

"You are only a Youngling. You are no threat" Starscream hissed, knocking Bumblebee away. The smaller 'Bot landed halfway up the street and Renegade looked up into the malicious red optics. Fear pulsed through her and the Decepticon snarled "Such a young Femme, such nice silver optics."

Renegade shuffled away, wrapping her servos around her but the much larger 'Con lifted her up by the armour on her back. She stood there awkwardly with trembling legs and saw the larger Decepticon's staring at her.

She began to unwrap herself before there was a loud desperate cry from Bumblebee, "Firefly! Look out!"

Before the Femme could even turn around, a massive weight landed on her back and she felt the searing hot pain of her armour being ripped to shreds. She fell face first back onto the concrete and she heard Starscream yell "Don't kill the fragging Femme! Soundwave, call off your Beast!"

Renegade tried to fight back despite the enormous pain and struggled up to her feet and reached behind her and flung whatever was on her back onto the concrete. She saw a large black panther and she recognised it from all those vorns ago.

It snarled and dashed back towards her and Renegade saw Bumblebee come running back to defend her but he was blocked off by another Panther that came from the chassis of the other Decepticon. "Stop that Autobot Ravage"

Renegade let a cry escape her as the Panther attacked her once again and she was knocked back of her feet and she felt her Processor being hacked into. The invading force overruled all her defence systems and Renegade felt her body falling into stasis.

There was an enormous pressure filling her frame and her commands in her helm began to flicker as somebody else controlled them. Her optics went dark and the last thing Renegade saw was Bumblebee's horrified blue optics.

* * *

><p>"Did you succeed Starscream" a low growl came out across the room and the Decepticon subordinate bowed and strode away:<p>

"Y-Yes my Lord, a Youngling Femme. Designation Renegade Frontslayer; she was a neutral being conned into joining the Autobots. We got to her in time and Howlback has infused herself with the Femme."

Megatron strode over to the bay and saw the motionless Femme with his faced turned up in a snarl "She better be of use to me!" he hissed to Starscream "Get Scalpel and get him to wake her up. I want her out there and fighting _immediately_."

Starscream nodded and the doctor and he watched Megatron leave before his face turned up into an evil snarl.

"I'll get you one day Megatron, then I will be the Lord of the Decepticon's."

He looked down to see the Doctor coming in and he scooped the little robot up and hissed in his face.

"Wake the Femme up and no experiments. Howlback would have you obliterated if you try anything!"

He threw the small doctor down onto the body of the Femme and stalked out of the room "I'll show everybody. I will no longer be the _slave_!"

Renegade's menus flashed online, a small alarm beeping in her helm. As she slowly came back online she was instantly aware of a presence in her Processor.

"_Who are you?" _she asked hesitantly and there was a growl in response _"Designation Howlback. Assassin of Decepticon Secret Police."_

"_Why are you inside me?" _Renegade asked timidly and Howlback snapped back _"I reside inside you, you are my Carrier, My Host and you will do as I tell you so you will survive in such a ruthless environment."_

Renegade's optics onlined and she was greeted by the sight of a white ceiling and as she focused, she was sick to the core. She sat up, then purged her tanks all over the floor.

"_Bring it all up" _Howlback's cold voice filled her Processor _"You went through the transition well, you did not offline on me."_

Renegade continued to be sick until there was nothing left in her tanks and she felt awful. Her helm felt too tight for her head and she swore that there were chips sparking in her processor making her glitch.

She sat back up and looked to the door when she noticed a large steel berth beside her. She could see her reflection in it. She leant over and was horrified by the sight of large red optics.

She drew back with a gasp and covered her optics with her servos before gathering her courage and lowering them and looking back to her reflection.

Red optics.

Decepticon's

War

She heard a little whir and she looked back down the other side of her and saw a little cleaner robot cleaning what she had purged and the doors opened and revealed a figure that Renegade had feared. The Ruler of the Decepticon's.

Megatron

He stood over her and looked her up and down and then reached down and yanked her up. She was only a Youngling so she reached dead centre of his arm and she looked up at him fearfully.

"You serve under me now" he growled to her "Not to anybody else. Forget your past! I do not tolerate snivelling whingers. This is War and you will fight, there is no time to be sitting around feeling sorry for yourself!"

Renegade nodded fearfully and he snarled.

"You do not feel pain for killing others! You are a Decepticon; you are superior than any other pathetic Autobot out there."

Renegade looked down to her servos and her spark ached for Bumblebee and how he was with the Autobots.

Now, she had been forced to join the Decepticon's.

She was going to lose her best friend; they were going to be enemies.

She couldn't allow that to happen. She…couldn't.

Megatron walked to the door before snarling back to Renegade, "Now get out there and show me what you can do for my army!"

* * *

><p><strong>Many, many Stellar Cycles later.<strong>

Renegade stalked through the carnage, the smoke rising around her and her optics flashing angrily. Howlback walked beside her, kicking away Autobot scraps and limbs and she looked up at her Partner. "You have come a long way Renegade. Megatron and I taught you well."

Through the wreckage, an Autobot began to stumble to his feet and without hesitating, Renegade lifted her cannons and fired at the 'Bot, offlining him instantly and watching him fall back down to the earth.

"I don't want to disappoint!" Renegade said grimly "Fraggin' Megatron drilled it into my Processor "I won't handle anymore."

"I am a Leader of my own Faction; I have my own orders to give them without listening to Megatron and Starscream."

She saw more explosions in the distance and she saw Seeker Jets shoot overhead and start firing. ::Autobots coming up:: her went off and Megatron's voice roared over. "Front liners get out there! Renegade! Get your faction out there and send Howlback to the front line offence."

Renegade raced ahead with the Front liner 'Cons and Howlback kept steady pace beside her. They extended their guns and they began to shoot at the incoming Autobots and Renegade heard Optimus Prime yell out in his deep voice;

"Autobots Roll Out!"

She heard the Autobots yell out as they saw her, "Its Frontslayer and the Howler, spread out and surround them!"

She flung out her arm and extended out her large blue blade and swung around in a neat circle slicing two robots clean in half. Sparks flew around her and she looked up to the other Autobots clash with the Decepticon's.

She saw Howlback lunge towards a 'Bot, knocking him right off his feet and tearing into him savagely.

Renegade looked up and she caught the optics of Optimus Prime as he stared at her and she raised her sword and said "Bring it Prime!"

She raced forward as the Prime drew his own blazing orange sword and they clashed together in hate as sparks flew around them. Her red optics bored into his blue and he pushed against her and she done a neat backflip away and fired a round of plasma cannons before rushing back in and copping a blow by Prime's sword.

Renegade's bulky, defence armour protected her and she sliced her sword and dealt a blow of her own and watched energon leak from the wound. She jumped back before there was a roar behind her.

"Move Frontslayer! Prime is mine!"

Megatron grabbed Renegade and 'threw' her across the ground and she skidded away in a flurry of sparks before she rolled back and sprung onto her feet before skidding to a halt. She felt energon pool up in her vocals and she spat it out and looked back up to Megatron and Prime fighting.

A cable in her arm sparked and she stood up to her clawed pedes and spat out another glob of Energon. She heard a noise behind her and she raised her cannon and spun around and she was greeted by the sight of another cannon held up to her.

She didn't lower her cannon, instead her optics widened before they narrowed and she said darkly "Well, Well; I thought I'd run into you sooner or later."

"Could say the same about you Renegade Frontslayer; I…have heard many stories about you; I see you joined the Decepticon's."

She ignored the way her spark thrummed in its chamber; she said "We're enemies now Bumblebee, there won't be any friend talk anymore." She stepped around him and he done the same in the opposite way.

"I didn't want us to be enemies Renegade" Bumblebee said "I tried to get you off the path you chose. I wanted you to be with me."

"I didn't have a choice Bee!" Renegade said heatedly "I was broken in by another 'Con, there was no way I could have escaped with her inside me." She didn't lower her cannons and Bumblebee kept his steady.

Her spark burned in protest and Renegade said coolly; "Are you going to shoot me Bumblebee? I am your enemy, a Decepticon. I can see it, you're hesitating."

"I will shoot you if I have too Renegade. But it's wrong and I cannot bring myself to do it. You are hesitating yourself."

His optics were so sad and Renegade's spark shuttered painfully and she bit back her words and feelings, lowering her head to her pedes before she looked back up and snarled "If I get caught talking to you of all 'Bots, I will be killed myself!"

Bumblebee only stared at her and she bit "All the 'Cons know of the friendship we had before we chose sides. They think I would go soft and not kill you." She stepped back and she heard voices yelling out behind her, she looked back to her friend "And I won't kill you Bee, get out of here and get out of the fighting. I would never be able to pull the trigger."

She stepped back and lowered her cannon and Bumblebee asked softly "Is this where we say goodbye Firefly?"

Renegade felt her optics click and she nodded "We won't ever go back to the way we were Bee, no matter how hard we try. We are enemies now and nobody would allow that."

She turned away and Bumblebee said softly "You will always be my Firefly you know. I will always remember you. Decepticon or not…I just failed you."

"Goodbye Bee. Next time we won't be so lucky."

She left him and went back into the fray and she was approached by Howlback "You let him go?" she stared after Bumblebee and Renegade said grimly "Don't you _dare _mention him to anybody, I will never be able to bring myself to kill him. I can't hate him; my-my spark won't let me."

Howlback bit back her remark and looked down to her feet before growling "You know there's a reason for that you know."

"And what's that?" Renegade asked and Howlback hissed "I'm not going to tell you, because it's going to cause more pain than what it's worth. Better off fighting for yourself."

* * *

><p><strong>.com - Tumblr Account... If you have, follow me :) I'll keep you updated.**


	8. Flickering Firefly

**2 WEEKS LATER..**

"Alright, where is this designation 'Howlback'?"

Major Lennox walked through the temporary base at Hoover Dam and towards Optimus Prime. The Autobot Leader looked down at him and Lennox looked up and said:

"General Morshower had granted us permission to move to a new Military Base on Diego Garcia. Are we able to trust this Decepticon?"

Prime hesitated and knew that Howlback was only loyal to Renegade or herself and they were both Decepticon's. He didn't know how Renegade reacted when Ratchet finally bought her out of stasis or how Howlback would sit being a prisoner.

The Beast Bot was powerful and not to be messed with, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep her locked up for one and the other; she could go into a Volatile state and possibly harm Renegade in the process.

"Decepticon Howlback is locked up in the cells being guarded by Ironhide. She won't be going anywhere if we can get her support."

"What about the other one that Ratchet is working on?" Lennox asked and Prime felt a little bit better once Renegade was mentioned. The Femme was more likely to give them her support, or even luckier, her allegiance.

If Renegade converted. Then there would be a better chance of Howlback giving a little bit of help.

"Ratchet is aiming to have her online today. The Micro-Bot that joined with Howlback on her mission Jitter is with him and he will aid Ratchet in bringing the Femme back."

"Is she dangerous?" Lennox asked folding his arms and Prime was brutally honest, he saw no point in lying; "Yes; Renegade Frontslayer was a Leader of the Decepticon's alongside Megatron. She is a ruthless Warrior, but we are hoping that she has had a change of Spark over the millennia"

"She was a Decepticon Leader?" Lennox asked incredulously "And you are bringing her back to life when she is that dangerous to the human race?"

"We have a weapon of some sorts that will hopefully bring her under control" Prime argued his point to the Major and the human simply raised a brow.

"We have Bumblebee" Prime tried to explain before Lennox interjected again; "Bumblebee? The Camaro? Isn't he going back with that kid after he has his legs fixed?"

Prime grabbed the bridge of his nose with his fingers before exhaling out and letting his cooling fans switch on.

"Back when the War really started on Cybertron, Bumblebee and Frontslayer had been good friends. I believe that Bumblebee was going to ask Renegade to be his Spark Mate before she was stolen by the Decepticon's He has still not gotten over it, he sees this as his second chance."

"Then how do you propose this is going to happen when Bumblebee leaves? It might send her crazy" Lennox argued and Prime said "I will always be around; she knows us and what we are capable of. She won't endanger herself."

Lennox looked like he wanted to argue further but he pursed his lips and motioned to his Lieutenant Epps and they disappeared down towards the hangar cells to check on Howlback.

Prime dropped his servos and looked around the hangars with the milling military humans and he sighed "They have processors built for nothing but worrying" he said to himself as he walked from the hangar.

He would go and check Ratchet and Jitter and see how they are going on the repairs for Renegade that were going well.

He Ratchet to let him know of his arrival and Ratchet answered and said that he was close to putting the memory chip back in her newly developed frame.

He had worked tirelessly, running on low recharge cycles to bring Renegade back for Bumblebee so he could see her at least once before Sam came back and took the young Scout back to Tranquillity.

Prime strode into the medical hangar and was greeted by the small phone 'Bot Jitter who was typing away at a small holographic screen in front of him while Ratchet hooked back up the spark chambers to the fully fixed and shining body of Renegade Frontslayer.

Prime walked over and looked down to the faceplates of the Femme and his optics followed her large crest to the large shining silver Decepticon symbol stamped in the middle of her head.

"We are just about finished Optimus" Ratchet said a little doubtfully; "I'm suggesting we get out of here and let her wake up by herself."

"We can't do that Ratchet" Prime said "She will panic and possibly harm the humans, if we are here at least; she might be inclined to ask what is wrong instead of glitching."

"But she will see 'Us' or more 'You' and be more inclined to attack" Ratchet said to Prime sounding like he was speaking to a Youngling "She is a Decepticon Prime and it has not been the first time she has tried to kill you."

Prime wasn't swayed by this; he knew he could hold her off if she panicked. He turned to Ratchet " Bumblebee and ask him to come into the Hangar. She will feel better on seeing him." Ratchet nodded "What of Howlback? Should we let her out?"

"No" Optimus said "We will talk to Renegade first without the influence of Howlback and see what she says and tell us her story."

"Her story isn't very nice Prime" Ratchet said, "Jitter and I analysed her memories before we put it back in her helm. She has suffered here in pain ever since Megatron banished her. If she had been left to live without finding Barricade or Bumblebee, she would have died of Organic Poisoning. Nonetheless, her side of the story in the Decepticon's War is far worse than ours."

Optimus looked back to the body of Renegade before turning around to see Bumblebee whir and walk into the cavern. Ratchet looked at him also and said "I have made temporary changes to his vocals and he can continue to talk. We will just have to see what happens if his body rejects the human components I used to fix them."

"**Is everything alright" **Bumblebee asked in Cybertronian and Prime nodded "We are about to bring her online Bumblebee. We deemed it necessary that you be here when she onlines." Bumblebee's optics widened and he watched Ratchet step back and Jitter stood on the steel table not too far away and he called out;

"Activating chip and bringing her online."

Renegade's frame sparked and her Protoform took on a blue hue and Prime said "I see why her Creators nicknamed her Firefly."

More sparks danced around and Jitter said, "She is online, but she isn't onlining her optics. We haven't done anything wrong have we?"

He looked to Ratchet and the CMO shook his head "I done everything right, I couldn't have missed anything."

They waited for another minute and Ratchet grumbled "This isn't supposed to happen. I don't understand what I did wrong. I followed procedure exactly."

The CMO walked over to the berth where the motionless Femme lay and leant over to see what was wrong.

His optics widened as he looked down and he saw Renegade's bright red optics flicker online and all she saw was his head.

She hissed and there was a dull metallic 'thump' as Renegades clenched servo shot up and whacked Ratchet right in the face plates.

* * *

><p>Howlback's audios rang to life and a jolt shot through her body. She leapt up looking around the cell with wide red optics feeling Renegade's presence flicker online.<p>

"What is it Femme?" Ironhide growled as he stopped talking to Lennox and Howlback looked to him and snarled "I do not have time for this anymore."

She lunged for the metal bars and crushed them and the humans scattered and Ironhide lunged forward and grappled Howlback.

"No you don't" he growled "I aint going to let you cause trouble just yet."

"I have to get to her" Howlback roared "She online! I need to get to Renegade."

She squirmed again before reaching up and slashing Ironhide. He loosened his grip and with a roar and a black flurry Howlback disappeared up the stairs.

::Ironhide to Prime:: Ironhide growled over the :: Howlback's on the loose and she's after Renegade::

* * *

><p>Ratchet spun around and landed on the concrete with a massive 'bang.'<p>

Prime ran forward as Renegade sat up on the berth and her optics whirred on focused on the Autobot Leader:

"**Prime**!" she snarled lifting her cannons "**What in the Pit have you done to me**!?"

She sprung off the berth and pointed her cannons to Optimus "**Where am I**?"

Before Prime could even get to speak to the enraged Femme, a yellow blur shot forward and Renegade was knocked back and she nearly lost balance as she was grappled by a yellow Mech.

Her optics whirled and she froze before saying in a low, shocked voice "**Bee**!?"

Bumblebee squared up and looked at the Femme equal in his height in the optics and he nodded and Renegade stumbled back, her optics beginning to click. She looked down to her body and found a perfect Protoform.

She wasn't damaged, she wasn't sick and her Processor wasn't buzzing or beeping in pain.

She looked back to Bumblebee and her Cannon whirred back and her large servo with her wicked claws extended out.

Then the unexpected.

"**Bee! You never left me. You stayed with me!" **

She cried out in Cybertronian and she flung forward and gripped Bumblebee in a tight embrace. **"I'm so sorry Bee, I-I couldn't handle it any more, I tried to save the Sparkling's; I tried to come and see you. But Megatron forced me off the planet!"**

Her optics clicked even faster and she got more and more upset **"I was damaged and I was so sick. I was going to permanently offline. I didn't want to do that until I saw you again! Howl-..."**

Then; she stopped

She let go of Bumblebee and stepped back before asking in a low growl **"Where is Howlback?"**

Prime saw her servos twitching as he helped up Ratchet and before he could answer there was a roar in response.

To the entrance of the hangar, Howlback appeared and she growled at all the Autobots before she lunged at Renegade who cried out in surprise "Howl?"

Howlback would have never, ever done this seeing it as undignified, but she was so relieved to see Renegade she couldn't help it.

She knocked her Partner off her feet and they landed back on the concrete and Renegade said relieved "Oh Howl, you're all better! Still look better than me." The Femme got up and Howlback sat beside her.

"They didn't hurt you did they?" Renegade asked gazing at the Autobots and Howlback shook her head almost shamefully "I...helped them."

Renegade looked to her partner in shock; "Howlback! They're the... 'You' know that they're the enemies!"

"It was the AllSpark Frontslayer" Prime broke in "You went into stasis before we arrived, Megatron was also on Earth with other Decepticon's unfortunately the AllSpark was destroyed and Megatron and most other Decepticon's were killed.

"What other Decepticon's?" Renegade asked sourly and Howlback answered her

"Blackout, Bonecrusher, Devastator and Skorponok, I had recently found out had been offlined. "Megatron was offlined; Starscream disappeared..."

"That's the 'Screamer for you" Renegade grumbled "Lord ruler my aft, he would never survive." Howlback agreed with her before she finished "And Barricade was..."

That's when Renegade shot up to Howlback and gripped her chassis "Did you offline him?" she snarled and Howlback glared at her menacingly before growling "No! I did not offline him; I was going to leave the glitch to you."

"Good" Renegade said sitting back "After he wanted to offline me because I was unhelpful, I'm going to be the one to see him fall." Then her vents opened and warm air came out "So Megatron is offline and the AllSpark destroyed?"

She looked to Prime and said seriously "**The War is not going to stop you know**" she shook her head and Howlback helped her up.

"**The Screamer will come back and have some scheme under his wing. There are many more battles out there, try saving yourselves before anything else**."

Prime looked to the pair of Decepticon's before taking the risk, "I was meaning to ask you Renegade, Howlback was a great help, even though she didn't want to be part of it, in fighting the Decepticon's. I want to ask if you would lend a hand to the Autobots when more Decepticon's fall to Earth?"

"I said NO!" Howlback roared and Renegade's optics widened before she said in the English language "Y-You aren't going to kill me?"

"WHAT!?" Howlback looked to her partner "We're Decepticon's Firefly, they would kill us anyway, we are better off going out by ourselves and..."

"No Howl" Renegade said coldly to the Panther, silencing her, "We have been given a second chance; we were treated like dirt Howl. We were nothing, just fighting machines for Megatron's War."

She looked to Prime "You aren't innocent in this either Prime. It wasn't a War to save Cybertron. It turned into a War for every Bot for itself. It was a bloodbath and it destroyed our planet Prime. It turned all our people against each other with vicious hate. We were doomed from the moment Alpha Trion declared War millennia ago."

Optimus Prime nodded "You aren't wrong Renegade Frontslayer. We have come to learn that our Race is now precious, we cannot let any other planet or race pay for what mistakes we have made."

"Oh that's fine" Renegade said sarcastically "I am not helping humans, they have done nothing for me. We are above them Prime, they're soft and wrapped in fleshy armour. They don't feel very nice when one gets caught in between your feet."

Prime sighed and Renegade said "I will lend a hand when needed; I will help robots..._Not _humans. I will not be Autoscum, I am a Decepticon and unless you can format me without removing my memories. I will remain a Decepticon."

"That is fine" Prime said, feeling relieved "I can promise you that we will not lock you up like a prisoner if you promise not to harm anybody or contact Decepticon's to tell them of our locations." "Don't glitch Prime" Renegade said coolly, her red optics sarcastic "My has been wiped, Doc Bot assured that. Hook me up to the Autobots transmissions and I'll promise I'll be mostly good."

"But Firefly!" Howlback protested "I can't be around Autobots, it will ruin _my _reputation. What if Soundwave and Ravage fall to Earth? I can't kill my own brother!"

"Don't let it come to that" Renegade said stiffly "We aren't joining the 'Bots Howl, for all they know, we are prisoners. Be a neutral and drop in occasionally to say hello."

"I'm not leaving you" Howlback said "If you insist on 'helping' I will help as little as possible." Renegade knew that Howlback was pissed and she wouldn't contribute to anything unless she was asked.

She looked to Prime, "Are you happy Prime? The notorious Renegade Frontslayer and Howlback, Decepticon Leaders of the Cybertron War, agreeing to help you and your lowly 'Bots."

Optimus stood straight, his cooling fans on "I am pleased with your decision Renegade; I want to correct our mistakes, I am grateful to have two 'secret' allies that I hope that we can trust."

Renegade nodded and she spied Ironhide in the door surrounded by humans holding weapons and she snarled "Better call of your pet Prime, I don't want to step on the squishies just yet, I have nice clean talons and I don't want to dirty them yet."

She turned around and noticed a little 'Bot on the steel berth sitting there and Howlback said "I picked up a little helper Renegade, I have called him Jitter, he has proven to be very useful, especially in my ordeal against the fight in Mission City."

"Jitter hey?" Renegade said looking at the Micro-Bot and Ratchet added in, "He helped bring you back online, he was the one that found your CPU full of all your memory files."

"I didn't want to lose who I was" Renegade muttered "You have my thanks Ratchet. You have given another chance at life and I will fight better this time, I will not fail."

She walked over to Jitter and held out her wickedly taloned hand and Jitter climbed aboard hesitantly "Designation Renegade Frontslayer" she said to the Micro-Bot "I take that you are Jitter and you helped Howlback and helped bring me out of stasis?"

Jitter nodded and Renegade said "You know; if you liked helping Howlback. You would be stuck helping me you know. Or do you enjoy being with the Autobots?"

"I helped them to bring you online Frontslayer" Jitter said "I wanted to finally meet the Robot that Howlback spoke so highly of and to ask if you would let me tag along and help out in missions. I will learn with Ratchet in my other time."

"Alright then" Renegade said "What's happening now?"

She looked back to Bumblebee and felt her spark burn the side of her Spark Chamber. It was more painful this time around. She walked over to him and admired his faceplates, "You know we are still considered Youngling's in all of this. I still hate being considered the youngest."

Optimus noticed the change of tone right away when Renegade spoke to Bumblebee. She was softer and kinder and her body relaxed considerably around the Mech.

"You have really grown up Bee" she said "I regret not being there with you to see that. We were...so close and I was so naïve."

Optimus looked to Howlback who lowered her head and looked to her paws before scoffing and walking from the Hangar. She didn't move for Ironhide or the humans and she walked off out of sight, Renegade didn't even notice her partner leave. Her optics only for Bumblebee.

It didn't look right, a Decepticon and an Autobot, it proved that they could co-exist without hatred. But then again, Renegade had possibly loved Bumblebee and the feeling had never diminished. He was important to her and Prime knew that there would be trouble when Bumblebee left.

Ratchet had been right.

"**I never forgot about you Firefly" **Bumblebee finally said in their native tongue **"I wasn't prepared to let you go, even through the times when it was hopeless. But... I can't believe you're here."**

Renegade saw her dear friend. Even though they had been both hardened by War and both Warriors; Bumblebee still had his quirky, optimistic attitude and he still seemed so adorable to Renegade. On her back, her large Protoform frames for large wings wiggled.

Something that happened when she was excited or nervous

Prime interjected the reunion "Renegade, Bumblebee has been assigned to be a Guardian to a human Howlback had helped. He was the one to have offlined Megatron, so he is leaving the Base when we relocate."

Suddenly, Renegade's voice went back to panicked "He's leaving?"

She looked to Bumblebee and her friend gripped her shoulders **"I will be coming back; I won't be gone for long Firefly I promise. Please be good to the others though."**

Renegade felt her spark burn a little more intensely at the realisation of him leaving and she felt a pulse run down her body, making her limbs tremble weakly and she knew Bumblebee felt it as well. He drew his hands away and Renegade cursed within

"_What is wrong with me?"_

She felt her disappointment bite harshly and Bumblebee stepped back as she asked "How long will we be leaving to go to this new location?"

"In a few days" a new voice broke out.

Renegade lifted her foot up when she saw a human standing not too far away from her, she stared down at him and he looked up at her with a stern face.

"Major Lennox, You are Renegade?"

"Yes" Renegade said, her faceplates scrunching in distaste "Optimus has already told you not to engage in any Decepticon activity?"

"Yes"

"Do you understand that you are on Earth and you will fall under and obey the US Government?"

"Who died and made you Primus?"

"Renegade" Prime warned

"I'm not obeying 'him' I could have met his ancestor seven generations ago. Humans are hopeless."

"Listen to him Frontslayer"

"Fine! I have my audios open"

"You will not bring any harm to any civilian living in this Base or any other Town or City in this Country, if you do, you will be terminated."

"Who? By you? Not if I step on you first."

"Is that a threat?" Lennox asked reaching for his gun and Renegade shouted fiercely "I said I will help 'Optimus Prime', not to help the Human Race! I will not be held by ANY human jurisdictions. I was the one giving orders in a WAR long before this planet existed! Do not think I will follow ANYONE lightly."

Renegade fans turned up a notch and she realised that all the Humans and Ironhide had their guns drawn and her faceplates turned up in disgust "This is pathetic; I will not be treated as a slave." She reached up her servos underneath the steel berths and flung them up with a high metallic shriek.

They hit the wall with loud bangs and she trashed the makeshift Med Bay before storming out of the Hangar as Ironhide snarled to her "Slaggin' Femme."

As quick as lightning, Renegade spun around and fired a plasma blast hitting the concrete right beside Ironhide's head and she sprung forward and had her blade on the other side of his helm.

"Do not pick a fight with me!" she snarled "I will lie, cheat and deceive my way to victory. You will lose." Her red optics burned into Ironhide's, "I'm not as weak as the others that landed here. So I suggest you do not make an enemy out of me just yet."

She yanked her blade from the concrete, making it crack and crumble before leaving the Hangar and Bumblebee went running after her. Everybody stared after the dangerous Femme and Epps said up to Optimus, "I guess females don't change in any race."

"Now I have to fix my things" Ratchet grumbled before looking to the humans "I suggest you find Frontslayer an Alternate Mode before she realises that she is walking around in nothing but her Protoform. Femme's don't..."

"OPTIMUS PRIME!"

"Here we go" Ironhide muttered "Now it starts."


	9. Chapter 9

Renegade had her arms folded across her chassis, her red optics narrowed "You're saying that I have to walk around in my _Protoform _for the next couple of days? You do know that's the equivalent of being naked right?"

She glared down to Major Lennox "I'll go out and scan a car and be right back squishy, Why in the Pit would I go out and track down Decepticon's that I would kill anyway?"

"It's a violation against orders from the Human Government and the Autobots to allow a Decepticon prisoner out onto human soil. You are not to be trusted." Lennox said with practised ease, his hand on his gun ready to shoot if necessary.

Renegade felt her fans switch on and her vents shuttered eerily before she bent down to the humans. She knew it threatened them, having her leering red optics staring at them, "Listen here human" she threatened, "Like I said before, I am not listening to the Humans, if it weren't for Prime and Bumblebee, Howlback and I would have killed every last one of you and gone on our way. I am an experienced War Veteran that has endured Millennia of pain and torture; you humans will never be able to match what I had to endure."

The darker skinned man next to Lennox raised his gun and Renegade hissed and got back up "You think you know the meaning of War? Do you know how much pain it can bring? _Do you know how long it can last_?"

Lennox nodded his head, "I know exactly how hard it is Frontslayer, I will not disagree with you. War is harsh and unfair; I never said it was easy. I have seen battle and I can sympathise with both you and the Autobots-..."

"You don't know" Renegade seethed "I have endured War for over 9 million years, to see my Race clash together in hate and slaughtering each other. My Creators were killed and dragged through the streets when I was just a Youngling. I was dragged and forced to join the Decepticon's, I was worked like a pathetic beast. I was hung up by chains and _tortured; _being a Femme was dangerous back in my time. My pride was stripped down until I had nothing!"

Renegade felt the anger burning through her chassis as her memories came back through her processor.

"Autobots and Decepticon's alike tried killing me, in equivalent; I was the age of a human teenager when I was put through this. I watched a Centre that raised our Young be blown to the heavens, I had failed in saving them and I was _banished, _I landed on Earth; falling to pieces and dying of poisoning for _centuries _before I was almost killed by a fellow comrade."

She shook her head "You have no idea what any of these Cybertronian's have gone through. You think that they will stay to protect the humans? It's a fight between us and its every 'Bot for itself. The War will never stop until every _last _one of us will die."

Renegade spun around and stalked from the Hangar and Lennox looked to Epps who shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I don't know what you want me to say" the Lieutenant said, "She is obviously a PMS'ing female with the memories to boot."

They both looked up to see Prime emerging from behind the wall with his optics sad, "Everything she said held true honesty" he said looking down to the humans. "Do not be quick to judge Renegade. I have been witness to her pain and torture; it is something that will not be fixed overnight. At Spark, she is a kind Femme, I can trust her; along with everybody else. Just give her time and let her do little things at a time to regain her confidence in herself."

Lennox and Epps lowered their guns and put them away.

"But she is a Decepticon" Lennox argued "We have been told by the Government, told by _you_ to keep a close watch on the Decepticon's if we were ever to hold one captive."

"I know those were my words" Prime said "But the circumstance has now changed regarding the two Femmes. I will allow Renegade small things; just enough to regain her dignity and eventually find her place among the other 'Bots, It might be a good thing to get her to gain her independence _without _Howlback."

"So you're saying separating them?" Lennox asked, "How are we going to do that? Howlback is vicious and powerful. It's not going to be-..."

"I'm not saying separate them fully. Get Renegade to do things that require her to be by herself, get her interacting whilst I am busy with affairs. Howlback may linger but she will tire and go do her own thing."

Lennox nodded, "As you say Prime."

"Uh- Major Lennox?"

"Yes?"

"And get her an Alternate Mode; we are a base of Male Robots. It's not good having her walking around in her Protoform."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe that squishy human; it makes me wonder why I <em>hate <em>them so much."

"They're still going to make you walk around in your _Protoform_?" Howlback sounded disgusted "You think they would at least give a Femme her dignity and allow her an Alternate Form!" The two Femmes walked through the base, their scarlet optics whirring and focusing on the Autobots stationed around the main Hangar.

"I think I would have rathered offlined" Renegade muttered, "I'm not going to be able to handle this."

"Bumblebee was looking for you," Ironhide said in his gravelly vocals "You're a tough one to find when we need to find you."

Renegade turned her head, her processors whirring and Howlback turned and growled "And here he comes, I take it you want me to _leave_ Renegade?"

The Femme hesitated, as she looked down to her partner "I'm not leaving you behind Howler" she said as they both turned back to the tunnel of the hangar. "Whether we like it or not, we're partners, connected to each other. We can't exactly leave each other."

Howlback bared her teeth and looked down to her paws.

"It's almost like your keeping me hostage as well Renegade."

Bumblebee came striding into view, his large blue optics focusing on Renegade and Howlback. The her averted them and tried to keep them focused on Renegade's face, trying not to acknowledge that she was still in her Protoform.

"**Are you still upset Renegade?" **he chirped and whirred **"I tried to speak with the Pr-..." **

Renegade held up a servo, silencing the young Autobot and replied in Cybertronian, it being the only language Bumblebee was able to speak.

"**I'm still a Decepticon Bee," **she said seriously **"Howlback and I are moreorless prisoners; I will not be accepted as an Autobot. You are all still enemies, so how do you think I feel?"**

The other Autobots and the Military Personnel stopped talking and gazed over to the two young Cybertronian's, a sight that they thought they wouldn't see again.

Two very different robots, a Decepticon and an Autobot. Able to connect on a level that the others couldn't.

"**I can't believe you were appointed a Guardian" **Renegade seethed to Bumblebee **"You're leaving me as well. I have nobody other than Howlback! I know the Prime will have a dirty plan on trying too secretly separate us. I have nobody on the inside except you."**

Bumblebee held out his servos, trying to get Renegade to lower her loud whirs and chirps as the others stared on **"Sam needs protection" **he tried to explain **"He is...special, he cares about our welfare on this..."**

"**Cut the crap" **Renegade interrupted **"He wouldn't care, give him a couple of months and he will decide he wants a normal life. He'll ditch us and one of us will die to make him even consider coming back to help us."**

She waved her servo's, turning back around, facing away from Bumblebee **"Go Bumblebee, I don't care. It's not the first time I have turned my back on you, leave...I can't take care of myself."**

* * *

><p>Renegade watched the planes land, making the dust billow out and the water getting pushed down by the force of the air propelling through the sky around them.<p>

Howlback sat beside her and Jitter sat comfortably on Renegade's shoulder as if he belonged there. "I wonder where we're going" Howlback muttered "I wonder if they built a prison cell especially for us, so we can't escape?"

"They're not like that" Jitter chirped in his tiny voice "If you went out and spoke to them, they're actually really nice. Decepticon or not, we're going to have to start trusting them." He looked up to Renegade "Am I right?"

"I don't know" Renegade muttered watching the plane land "I don't know what to think Jitter, things have changed since Howlback and I have interacted with others of our species. The way the Autobots are acting... It is different to how they were back on Cybertron. They've...changed and to be honest...I'm starting to get afraid on _how _much they actually have."

"That's why I still don't trust them" Howlback growled "I was able to read them, run scans and determine their next moves, but since encountering them on Earth. I have nothing but failed diagnostics on them."

"Well I believe what you say" Jitter said "Seeing your memories Renegade, I know what they are capable of, but for now, they're helping us in more than ways than just one. If there's a chance that the Decepticon's will come back, we can have protection?"

"That's not an option" Howlback snarled, "Renegade and I are War Veterans, Warriors built for the Front Line of War! We do not need protection. I have said get used to War Jitter and if your training to be a _Medic _with that grumpy old Mech you're going to see a lot worse."

Howlback was irritated and angry; she didn't know whom to trust. She knew that the Autobots were reforming, trying to protect the humans. However, what made the Beast Bot worry was that Renegade was acting differently as well.

Ever since Bumblebee left with those cursed, humans she had helped save in Mission City.

Jitter slumped back down on Renegade's shoulder, he knew Howlback had a savage temper and when she believed on one thing, there was no way you could change her mind, of course if you were Renegade, but with the Femme off in another world. Howlback had taken over and giving her thoughts instead of Renegade's.

All three Decepticon's- well one neutral... All looked up when the Prime came striding over to them. Howlback snarled, getting up to all four legs and Renegade got up with hisses of compressed air and clicks.

"We are scheduled to leave now," Prime, said, "We are off to our new base, we need you to get in and get ready for take-off."

"Am I going to get an Alt Form when we get there?" Renegade asked, "I'm sick of walking around in my Protoform! Give me my dignity back at least; you've taken that off me. What next? Jitter or Howlback... Your pick?"

"I'm not going to separate you three" Prime said evenly "And yes, you will receive an Alt Mode, all of you."

He turned to face the plane "Now follow me."

* * *

><p>"We're in the middle of the desert!" Howlback snorted as she lowered her visor at the harsh sunlight "When are we ever going to benefit from this?"<p>

Renegade lowered her large metallic visor as well, her sensitive optics sizzling under the sunlight "I knew we had to be hidden, but this a little...Over the top don't you think?"

"We have to keep the humans happy," Prime said walking out of the plane behind them "Diego Garcia was specially made for us; I'm rather quite surprised they were able to put it up so fast." "I still think it's over the top," Renegade said searching the surrounding trees.

"We're on an island" Howlback stated "A desert like island surround by water? It's like the humans are trying to imprison us, _all _of us."

"Howler" Renegade sighed, looking down to her partner "Can you _stop _about being prisoners? I know that, Jitter knows that. You can stop talking about it. I don't need to hear it every hour or so." Howlback didn't like being reprimanded, she lowered her head and growled, "I hope it finally gets past your processors then, that I'm clearly _unhappy _with all this!"

"Howlback!" Renegade shouted as the Beast Bot took over the dunes and into the trees, "Howlback get back here. You don't know-..."

The Panther was gone.

"She is right" Prime said, "We are on an island, if she can turn into a submarine, there is no way she can get off it. She'll come back."

"Howler's changed" Renegade said simply "She's speaking in full sentences, with emotion. She used to be so _robotic _and computer-like. I've never seen her like this. I don't know if it's better or for worse. It's doing my processor in."

She felt the rage building up inside her and Prime said simply "Maybe it's because, you have the feeling of being safe from such a War that we had come from? I know it will not stop here Renegade Frontslayer, but we have escaped such severity."

"No" Renegade said watching the others get off the plane and explore the hangar "I will never feel safe; even with the 'Auto Scum' I just don't want to lose my Partner. She's all I have."

"We'll see about that," Prime rumbled, "Priorities change Frontslayer, maybe yours have changed already and you just don't realise it."

* * *

><p>It was an SS Ultimate Aero.<p>

A highly advanced turbo boosted Sports Car.

It went fast, it was sleek, it was shiny.

And it was purple.

Renegade took a shining to that car immediately; she chose that as her Alternate mode.

When Howlback eventually returned, being almost a symbiotic Bot, she was given an array of items that could still connect with Renegade's Alt Form.

She chose Speakers, Subwoofers. A large booming Bass that sat in the boot of the Sports car. It was massive and it was heavy, nothing that Renegade couldn't handle though. Howlback received new abilities from choosing that Alt Mode as well.

As well as having large, blinding reflectors, Howlback had bass, deep enough to shatter the hearing, audio receptors in a 'bots head.

Ironhide was deaf for a week, until Ratchet fixed him and created soundproof barriers in all Autobots, and Decepticon's audios. So they were protected by the crushing low frequency.

Jitter was given the Alt Form of a customised Apple Ipod Touch.

With a lot of Wi-Fi and Internet interaction and the abilities to open numerous applications made his learning capabilities higher.

With a camera built into the top, he was still able to use his holographic imaging and interactions and with the heat sensitive touch pad, Jitter was able to comprehend the heat of the patients he was able to work on.

He became an advanced little 'Bot, worthy of working with the Chief Medical Officer of the Autobots.

That and he was able to stay with Renegade, connect into her internal systems, along with Howlback's, and double their capacity to analyse critical situations. They were a fighting, dangerous trio.

Now if they could work together _without _arguing. It would both a blessing to the audios to the Autobots... and a valuable asset to the upcoming fights to come.

* * *

><p><em>"Shut it Jitter! I know how to handle a Car!"<em>

Renegade sped around the tarmac, racing on it before pulling up and spinning around to get used to her functions and capability of being a car again.

_"This car is highly advanced"_ Jitters voice argued back as he ran diagnostics on the inside of the windscreen,_ "Look at how your insides work Renegade, the turbo kicks in to give you that extra boost, if you lose control as that kicks in, you can hurt yourself."_

_"I'll manage"_ Renegade snapped, _"It's just been a while since I could drive again, I love the speed!" _

_"You're not listening!"_ Jitter scolded _"With Howlback in the back, its knocks your equilibrium off balance. You're a heavier car Renegade, especially with Howlback."_

_"Are you saying that I'm dead weight?"_ Howlback's voice blared through the speakers in the car _"Just so you know, I'm just as, or better company that you'll ever be Jitter! At least I can get out there and fight!"_

_"Stop arguing!"_ Renegade shouted, _"Let me drive!"_

...

Optimus and Ironhide stood in the frame over hangar watching the purple sports car sped across the tarmac.

"Are they arguing again?" Ironhide growled, "At this rate, they'll end up killing each other!"

"They have to get used to fighting again" Optimus explained "For a long time, Howlback was the one in charge. Renegade gathered her skills over time, but now with a third party opinion. Howlback has to get used to that fact. Jitter is a valuable asset; by what Ratchet says, his knowledge is better of that by most Cybertronian's."

"So we're lucky to have got him then?" Ironhide growled, "By what I heard, he was brought to life as a demonstration. He was going to be killed again but Howlback unintentionally saved him."

"He's demonstrated himself," Optimus said, "Now if he can get the cooperation of those stubborn Femme's we just might have a chance."

…

_"Alright!"_ Renegade stopped the inner arguments ringing inside her cabin.

_"Demonstration! We're getting attacked by an enemy, I have to swerve around and open up my back half to allow Howlback to transform out and attack!"_

_"Go for it"_ Jitter said and Howlback snarled,_ "I'll show you whose dead weight."_

Renegade stopped at the end of the long tarmac and her engine purred lightly. _"Are we all ready?"_ she asked and she got a simultaneous 'Yes' in return.

She pushed the accelerator and her engine roared as she let go of the brake and raced down the tarmac. The scenery blurred around her, Renegade then squealed on her brakes and spun around, lifting her boot and beginning to transform.

Howlback transformed and jumped out from the height, with a roar, the Beast Bot spun around in a flurry of sparks and began to race down the tarmac with her claws extended as if she was going to an enemy.

That was when the Autobots saw a large tree stump situated at the end of the tarmac that Renegade must have torn out and bought back to the base.

Renegade was up and running behind Howlback, pushing her clawed feet back into her legs and extracting the wheels so she could scoot along behind the Beast Bot.

Howlback lunged as Renegade shot the large stump, as if to paralyse a target and Howlback ripped the stump to shreds.

It was gone in a matter of seconds.

Renegade skated back over the tarmac casually as Howlback ran beside her.

"We need a better target than a tree stump," Howlback said disapprovingly.

"It was all I could find" Renegade spat "It was the biggest stump I could find on the whole fraggin' island. You weren't supposed to rip it apart Howlback!"

…

"They're none too shabby" a voice said in between Optimus and Ironhide, "They know how to coordinate with each other."

Lennox watched the Femme's go back to the other end of the tarmac still arguing, "They train well."

"Your observations are correct," Optimus said "They are a formidable team, gathered that they are good fighters on their own, but together, they're more than deadly."

That's when Renegade realised that she had been watched.

The Femme came over, her optics whirring, "Were you watching me?" she demanded "Cant I get a bit of privacy to work with my partner?"

"Partners!" Jitter corrected sitting on her shoulder "I knew they were here the whole time, you have to be more alert Renegade."

"Quiet Jitter Bot" Renegade seethed before looking back to the Prime "Anything to criticize me about?" she snapped.

"Stop the arguments" Prime said evenly down to the smaller Femme "It will get you distracted and an enemy will target you."

"I'm not used to having two other voices in my processor," Renegade said, her optic ridges clicking down into a Cybertronian version of a frown "It's highly distracting!"

They all looked back to Howlback who had her head raised to the sky and Renegade knew right away that something was wrong. "Howler?" she called "Howlback, situation?"

Her processor buzzed to life through the link, she and Howlback shared:

"_We have a Situation Renegade!"_

As Howlback said that, alarms began to ring in her head, incoming enemies.

A moment later Prime and Ironhide looked up as well.

"There are signals of incoming Autobots!"

They disappeared back into the Hangar followed by Lennox and Renegade scooted back over to Howlback "Detect where they land, how many life signals to they have?"

Renegade could see Howlback's visor scanning rapidly before her robotic voice broke out.

"Five_ life signals confirmed"_

"Five?" Renegade said outraged "They're coming in by the wave, what if there ones we can't even trust?"

Howlback's scan stopped briefly as her optics locked on Renegade's "I had that situation when you were in stasis Renegade" she said, "I was _allied _with Jazz."

Renegade went silent "You-two... your enemy Saboteurs, you hate him more than Prime, H-How...?"

"Jazz was offlined by Megatron," Howlback stated, before running her scans again, her little antennae rising and sending off frequencies. "I'm getting signals; I can't identify who they are. One is familiar...but I cannot fathom..."

Her visor lifted and her antennae whirred as it went back into her helm "Estimated time Seven Hours."

"Later on in the nightfall" Renegade muttered "How can-..."

"They're not landing on the island" Howlback stated, "We won't be allowed to go. You know that Renegade."

"Well whoever they are. We need to keep an optic out and watch each other's backs alright? We have a lot more enemies out there, some would rather kill us, even if Prime forbids them not to" Renegade said darkly "And I can already think of two 'Bots that would already do that as well."

* * *

><p>Renegade watched the plane fly from the base, on board, Prime and Ratchet.<p>

They left behind Ironhide who was beyond pissed, stating that they could be Decepticon's.

Though Howlback and Renegade knew that they were all Autobots, they didn't tell Prime that. The two Bot's were perfectly capable of looking after themselves if danger arose. If they knew Howlback had super frequency receptors to confirm life signals, they would hook up to her processor.

Renegade couldn't allow that.

All they could do was sit and wait.

…

It was morning, when Renegade was woken out of stasis by the sounds of an approaching plane. In her Alt form, she started her engine and rolled forward, the hangar door opened and she could sense the incoming plane.

"Ready to fight?" Howlback's voice was dark "I couldn't gather who they were. Their life signals were scrambled."

"Don't try scanning them," Renegade said, "I want to see for myself who they are and whether or not I can kill them."

Ironhide in his Top-Kick and the Personnel approached them from the Military.

Ironhide transformed and Renegade followed suit, Howlback twisting and transforming from her back as well.

The Decepticon's stayed back in the shadows of the Hangar as Ironhide and the others went to greet the landing plane.

It took several minutes for the plane to land and the cargo bay to be opened.

The first one out was Prime.

He looked fine, no scratches or dents. No fight.

Ratchet was next, followed by Lennox and Epps. They began to speak with Prime and Ironhide and Renegade waited with anticipation, which Autobots stepped off the ramp from the plane.

Howlback tensed beside her and Jitter said coming online and pinging inside Renegade's helm.

"There's no point in attacking if they mean no harm to us."

She watched the first 'Bot come out and it was one that she didn't recognise."

"I don't know what designation he is," she muttered, Howlback's audios perked, and they were able to hear Prime say:

"Designation Jolt, Medic-In-Training. Decepticon's in the Gamma Quadrant attacked vessel approximately 1 million years ago. Been in stasis since and picked up on my signals for the Autobots."

"I don't know a Jolt" Howlback growled, "He seems weak, not worthy of having a decent fight with."

"Femmes..."

Renegade and Howlback looked up tensing

"Arcee, Flare-Up and Chromia..."

Ironhide stiffened at the name of Chromia and Renegade hissed "Arcee huh? I wonder how she's fairing after I left her mangled in the War. I haven't seen her since the transgression between Elita and..."

"Quiet" Howlback hissed, as her optics whirred and focused on the one-wheeled Femme's that approached the Mech's on the tarmac.

Chromia went up to Ironhide and Renegade stepped forward, "I always wondered whether or not they were hiding a romance behind the scenes. I almost killed her."

Prime began to speak to them, Renegade heard her name mentioned and all 'Bots looked in the shadows of the Hangar and saw her and Howlback standing there.

"Prime!" Arcee said "Why? She is not to be..."

"There's one more" Howlback hissed, "It's a Mech..."

The last 'Bot stepped from the ramp, Renegade's attention was drawn to the Mech. Howlback saw him before her partner did and the growl rumbled throughout the hangar.

"NO!" Renegade shouted ferociously extracting her wheels and darting out into the sunlight of the Hangar "I'll KILL HIM..."

Howlback ran forward her claws extracting and Prime shouted "Ironhide stop her!"

The Mech caught sight of Renegade and his optics narrowed, long swords extracting from his hands "Long time no see Renegade Frontslayer!" he shouted.

He ran forward and the two robots clashed together in a flurry of red sparks. "I'll finish you this time," the Mech snarled to Renegade "I'll finish it for him!"

"I don't think so," Renegade growled, tripping the Mech and they crashed to the tarmac.

"I'll kill you then your brother; I don't care if Prime's here. My hatred for you will never stop Sideswipe! When I kill you, I'll kill Sunstreaker too!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Hiiiii guys... :/ I have had a massive urge to keep writing stuff about Transformers and I am trying to get as much out as I can before my muse decides to wither away and die again.**

**Ok, I have noticed this a lot and as I was reading over some past chapter, I swear the word 'Intercom' must not exist in Fanfiction. Because its there on my pages on my computer but not on FF -_-**

**Oh and another thing, I SUCK at transitions between scenes and movies and...stuff. I tend to jump ahead because I usually hate writing boring fillers. I like action! **

**So these next couple of chapters is getting ROTF over and done with quick smart before I start with DOTM. But don't worry, I have major plans to change the WHOLE story around ;) Its going to be awesome! :0 :D**

**Anyway, the tiny use of the lyrics are by Michael Jackson's 'They really dont care about us.'**

**All Transformers rights go to Hasbro, including Howlback :/ All I did was create a character out of a toy. -_-**

**But Renegade is mine, so I take rights for her :P**

**So enjoy.**

* * *

><p>There were shouts from all over the tarmac and hangar.<p>

Alarms blared and soldiers scattered everywhere as Renegade lifted her fist above Sideswipe's head "You'll regret ever coming here" she spat down into his face "I won't ever forget what you did to me during the War!"

From under her Sideswipe only smirked, his faceplates turning up and his optics glinting, "I promised Sunstreaker that I would finish you off if I ever ran into you again."

At the threat, Howlback roared maliciously but before the Femmes could launch an attack, Renegade was lifted off Sideswipe.

She turned her head with a growl escaping her, but the gleaming blue optics that belonged to the Prime made her stop in her furious rampage.

"That is enough," he boomed down to her, "I will not tolerate any fighting on this base!"

He put her back on the tarmac a few paces away from Sideswipe who was being helped up by Ironhide and Ratchet.

Howlback stood off to the side, watching all the Autobots wearily. They surrounded them and Renegade stepped back from Prime, her optics flashing wearily. She simply ignored the hateful glances she was receiving from the newcomers, her optics settled on Sideswipe and she felt a rumble in her chassis.

"_I won't forgive him" _her processor whirred "_I will __**not **__forgive him."_

"Don't you think it is a little rash?" Jitter's voice came from inside her "Things change Renegade, you two might be able to-…"

"_No_" she growled, "They **both** deserved what they got and when Sunstreaker lands from the frozen hell I put him in, I will take him down as well."

Renegade turned away from the congregation of Autobots and stormed off down the tarmac. Her footfalls were heavy and the joints in her feet hissed and groaned as she walked. She reached the end of the tarmac and with a vicious clawed hand, she reached out and pulled an entire tree from its roots and threw the tree in rage.

Howlback hesitated slightly at the public display of anger from her Partner. With a flick of her ruby optics, she saw the Autobots come together and were muttering about Renegade.

There was no way Howlback was going to stay around with the 'scum.'

With a growl of her own, Howlback stalked away from the congregation and back into the Hangar.

She was not going to put up with any rubbish that was on either ends of this damned island.

* * *

><p>Howlback glared daggers at all the soldiers that had walked past her, often they would walk past and just stare at her or mutter something under their breaths.<p>

The Beast Bot didn't appreciate being looked down upon by both the Autobots and Humans. It was downright degrading on her behalf.

She didn't even want to think what Renegade would be doing, after humiliating Howlback the way she did, the Beast Bot had no inclination of wanting to be near the Femme until she got her processor in gear and came back to apologise.

Howlback growled at another set of soldiers, their eyes quickly averting from the hostile Panther. They scurried across the large Hangar and Howlback turned her head when she heard heavy footfalls across the concrete.

"I half expected you to be the one to launch an attack," a voice growled out. "I wouldn't have minded having you as a target for shooting practise."

Howlback's red optics flickered up and she growled up at Ironhide, "You wouldn't be able to hit me even I'm standing still" she seethed "You're not that great at cannons as much as you think you are."

"Say that again you little punk" Ironhide growled, quickly transforming his hand into a cannon and pointing the glowing barrel down into Howlback's face. "I wouldn't hesitate to kill you right here and now."

"Yeah" Howlback growled, stretching out her legs and getting up to her servo's with loud groans and hisses. "You have hesitated in killing for over a millennia 'Hide. Even right here, I see the hesitation in your faceplates. You hate to admit that we have a Past together."

Ironhide's cannon began to glow red, "I don't need you to remind me Howlback. I know exactly what I have done and I'm fixing it now."

"So nobody knows eh?" Howlback growled "Nobody except Prime that is. You wouldn't want Chromia or your other 'Scum' friends to find out?"

"You wouldn't want Renegade to find out either?" Ironhide countered, "She would see that as an act of betrayal. You're supposed to be her Partner and when she finds out all the dirty secrets you have been hiding from her."

"Oh the consequences of the Autobots finding out your secret would be quite entertaining" Howlback bristled "At least Renegade is still admitting that she is a Decepticon." Her optics gleamed "And I'm sure your Brother Barricade says hello as well."

* * *

><p>"What are we going to do with these Robots?"<p>

Lennox looked up at Prime in disdain "All the work we have been trying to get you accepted into the Military will go down the drain because of the antics of those incompetent Femmes."

"Please do not despair" Prime rumbled, "Everything will go according to plan; our main mission is to protect planet Earth from the Decepticon's. I have confidence in Renegade's abilities to reform, but if need be, I will be the one to offline her if she chooses to betray us."

"Well it should be sooner than later" Lennox said heatedly, "Those Femmes will be nothing but trouble for us and we aren't exactly on steady ground with the US Government yet."

"I am aware of that," Prime said irritably "And rest assured I will keep my subordinates in order, "Autobot or Decepticon."

He prayed to Primus that Renegade would behave because he didn't really want to offline her…For Bumblebee's sake.

* * *

><p><strong>All I wanna say is that<strong>

**They don't really care about us**

**All I wanna say is that**

**They don't really care about us**

**Beat me, hate me**

**You can never break me**

**Will me, thrill me**

**You can never kill me**

"Renegade!"

Jitter disconnected from her mainframe with irritated clicks and whirrs, "This is the hundredth time you have listened to this song! How many times do you have to replay it to get your point across?"

Renegade only shrugged her servos as she stared out to the waves around the island, "It's a catchy song. Why... Do you have a problem with it?"

Jitter cowered at her menacing tone as she got up in his faceplates, her optics flashing wildly and menacingly.

Jitter climbed down from her shoulder plates with irritated grumbles and started to walk over the grass, his silver, spider like legs reaching out in front of him.

"You're such a child!" he scolded, using the human term for Sparkling. "You don't get what you want and you act like this and blame everyone around you!"

"Cut me some slack!" Renegade shouted after the tiny 'Bot, "You don't have _any _idea what these Autobots are capable of. I have seen their _War _side and it's something that you should get used to the idea of! We're Decepticon's whether we like it or not Jitter Bot, now get your aft back here!"

"Not until you stop with the tantrums!" Jitter shouted, "I'm still embarrassed at the way you acted in front of the Prime today! Do you want to end up like Howlback? Living in the dungeons behind bars?"

Renegade remembered the Howlback's last tantrum and attempted escape from the island, only to wind up back behind bars under the ever-watchful optic of Ironhide and she sure didn't want to go down there either. However, everything she did… It seemed to work against her.

She couldn't catch a break.

"Fine!" she yelled out after Jitter, "You go as well! You little traitorous leech. I don't need you…Or the Howler… or Bumblebee. Slag off."

She directed her optics back to the ocean until she sensed that Jitter had actually left her before letting her fans blow hot air from her chassis.

It had been six months since Renegade was put back online, six months that Bumblebee left her behind for an ignorant human who had no desire to help them in the slightest. And six months of hell for the Decepticon Frontliner.

Today had been the cherry on top for the impatient Decepticon. After months of trying to be good in the optics of the Autobots and the Military Humans, she was fortunate enough the over hear their newest Government team, which involved both Humans and 'Bots to hunt down and kill Decepticon's.

**Hours Earlier:**

She was used to the weary optics that she was given by the 'Bots and humans, she could not go anywhere without receiving these glances. In a way, it bothered her a little bit but then again, she liked it when she could rule with an iron fist and people regarded her with fear.

But not whilst she was being held prisoner.

She walked into the Hangar and looked up to see Prime and his 'Bot Subordinates lined up talking to the Officials that Renegade had long come to know that they were in charge. She couldn't help but let her audios quiver when she noticed the words being said.

"We have been granted access by the United States President to start a new Military Operative System called NEST to hunt down the stray Decepticon's that continue to land on Earth," the older Human Male explained from the other side of the monitor.

"Only a team of highly trained Officers trained in secrecy can take part and fight alongside the Autobots. Every mission that will be partaken will be down in silence and away from the General public. For everybody's safety!"

"Understood" Prime rumbled, bowing his head to the screen "We will ensure Earths safety and we will stop the Decepticon's at all costs. Without their Leader, they cannot coordinate themselves." After a few more choice words, the screens blackened and Renegade burst into the Hangar, ignoring all the pointed guns that were suddenly directed at her.

"Let me join the team!" she declared, her chassis heaving from the possibility of being able to leave the Hangar. Her red optics locked with Prime's blue and she tried to explain herself, she swung out her clawed servos, "I know all about the Decepticon tactics! I know they aren't as strong with Megatron leading them but they still have the Screamer and he isn't to be underestimated! I will be able to help you!"

"In Pit that's ever going to happen!" a metallic voice snarked out, Sideswipe folded his servos across his chassis. "All it takes is to look at your own optics to know that you are the enemy. You will always be the enemy! You don't have the Spark in you to be like us."

Renegade's Spark crackled in its casing and hot air began to flow from her shutters, she looked back to the Prime. "I have no reason to go back to the Decepticon's after they tried to offline the Howler and I. Give me a reason for you to finally trust me and let me prove to you that I can be helpful on the battlefield!"

"This isn't a Battlefield!" Ratchet scolded nastily from behind Prime, "We are taking down the Decepticon's quietly without the Humans knowing. Only you will go running in there with cannons firing and we will be all in jeopardy. In case you haven't forgotten, we no longer have a planet to call 'Home'."

Prime sighed, gripping the bridge of his optic ridges, "I know where your talents lie on the Battlefield Renegade Frontslayer, we do not need slaughtering skills on our missions if we need to keep a low profile."

"A low profile!?" Renegade shouted, her claws getting dangerously close to the humans she swung her servos out. "We are gigantic, alien Robots that are easily the size of buildings. Do you honestly think we can keep a _low profile_?"

"Easy, settle down Renegade" Jitter finally decided to interject, "Getting angry won't prove your worth on going on these missions."

"At least there's one of them that's speaks sense" Ratchet spat, "Optimus, I still don't trust her. Or her Symbiotic leech. We cannot allow them to come."

"That's right," Arcee said from her line of Femme's, "Howlback has always been a bad influence on Renegade; we can't trust either of them. In case they have formulated a sneaky plan behind our backs so they can offline us."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Renegade snarled, "I rusted here for _Centuries _before you even landed here! What do you know Femme? Do you think you hold authority over me?"

"And the cat claws come out" the dark skinned Epps tried to joke, but it went unheard as the other Officers kept their guns on Renegade.

"I know that you are the enemy and that you must be stopped" Arcee snapped, her large motorbike wheel whirring as she shouted at Renegade.

"In Pit!" Renegade roared, "You spout the same slaggin' nonsense Elita did before she was stripped down and left on that Planet! You don't want to suffer the same way she did?"

The whole Hangar burst out in shouting and Ironhide strode forward to stop Renegade, but when his large servos went to reach for her, the Decepticon Femme swung her claws around, her red optics full of humiliation and hurt.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted, brandishing her large blue energon sword from the covers on her arms. "It will be in your best interest to _leave_."

"Renegade!" the booming voice of Optimus Prime ceased the shouting, the Leader of the Autobots walking over and towering over Renegade. She looked up at him with flickering optics, her ridges clicking quietly in her silent grief.

"You're no better than Megatron," she said quietly to the Prime. "You say that you care but you really don't. How am I supposed to prove myself when I am not given a chance?"

She turned her back on him, "Now…I'm probably just going to go throw myself in the ocean. I hate this slaggin' planet."

And at that, she ran from the Hanger.

* * *

><p>Renegade lost track on the time as she stared out over the ocean, only breaking from her trance when she heard the whirrs and clicks of a 'Bot walking up behind her, she looked over her shoulder plates to see Howlback striding up the hill, her own optics dark and full of sorrow.<p>

"They finally let you out Howler?" Renegade said, diverting her gaze back to the ocean. "I thought they didn't trust you enough to walk around the island again." Her ridges were threatening to click again and Howlback replied stoutly, "Jitter came back to the Hangar and said that you were still sulking and that he couldn't get you to come back."

"Jitter is a little glitch who thinks he can help me with my problems!" Renegade said heatedly, "He doesn't have any clue. He can go join the Autobots for all I care."

"He came to the Hangar and begged Prime to let me out of the Cells, So I can come here and knock some sense into you," Howlback interjected, "I was going to say that you disgraced me today, but then again, I have done nothing but disgrace you ever since we got here."

The Beast Bot sat beside her Partner, "I apologise for what I have done to you," she said quietly. Renegade turned her head to rest her flickering optics on the Panther, "Apologise for what Howler?" she asked.

"I ruined your life for my own selfishness," Howlback said bitterly, "Back then and even now. I'm the one that they don't trust but they blame you as well. You don't deserve the way they treat you."

"It's a little late for that don't you think Howler?" Renegade chuckled slightly, "We have been partners for millennia, I could kick and scream and curse you to Pit for what you put me through, but I won't. We have been through a lot together and I don't trust anybody else as much as I trust you, we look out for each other, no matter what."

Howlback's optics darkened even further and her head slumped further down, "Firefly…" Howlback used Renegade's pet name for her, "…Soundwave is here. I received contact from Ravage."

I thought all our contacts with the Decepticon's were wiped thanks to the Hatchet!" Renegade said, her Spark churning uncomfortably, "Howler, when did this happen?"

"Several Orbital Cycles ago. Our communications were cleaned Renegade, but you can't delete Familial Bonds can you?"

"Howlback" Renegade said softly, "I…I don't know what to say, if we tell Prime he can offline you. This is so dangerous, are they on Earth?"

"No" Howlback said, "They are all in Orbit, watching. I haven't replied back to Ravage, but he knows I'm here on the Planet somewhere, he just doesn't know where."

"I bet because of the Screamer" Renegade seethed, "He's out there being the conniving, scheming little glitch he is. What can we do? Soundwave isn't exactly within our reach and he can be up there doing Primus knows what."

"We do nothing," Howlback said, "I know it isn't what we wanted to do Renegade, but we have to sit low and watch from the backlines for once. If we do anything rash, Soundwave and Ravage could pick up on something and that will be the end of it."

"Things just get from bad to worse don't they?" Renegade grumbled, "Knowing that there is danger above us while we sit back and do nothing? It's quite unlike us Howler. We've become lazy on our old age."

"Don't talk to me about age" Howlback sneered, getting some glint back in her optics and Renegade laughed, "There we go, that's making me feel a little better now." She heaved herself back onto her feet with low hisses and groans, "Let's get back to the Hanger before those slaggin' 'Bots decide to have Spark Failure."

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,

A long 18 months had passed through the Optics of the Decepticon Duo of Renegade and Howlback.

Renegade was determined to show that she could be trustworthy and hoping that Prime would take her on the next mission. She was aware of the rising number of Decepticon's and knew that Starscream was biding his time so he can flush out the Autobots and their secrets.

Howlback had expertly shut out her Brother, even though she insisted that it didn't bother her, Renegade knew that the Beast Bot was deeply affected at blocking out the last of her family. Ravage had been brainwashed by Soundwave and it hurt Howlback greatly.

With Renegade, her Spark was starting to ache and she refused to acknowledge the fact that it was Bumblebee that was making it that way. But she couldn't help but feel neglected and somewhat lonely without the Autobot there, it had been too long and Renegade hated to admit that she was pining for the young yellow Mech.

So when the latest mission sent the Autobots out to a large city named Shanghai, Renegade was disappointed yet again at the fact that she wasn't allowed to go. Even the newbies, 'Bots that had appeared several months ago were allowed to go.

So again, Renegade had sat begrudgingly in front of the monitors and watched the progress of the Autobots fighting the latest Decepticon, a large brute by the name of Demolisher. A Decepticon that Renegade never met personally, but one that was a bottom feeder and had nothing to do with the higher ups back in the War.

And this time, in trying to keep a _low profile_, they had destroyed the City.

Renegade could only smirk to herself and hold a chuckle in her vocals.

* * *

><p>Within the next two days, Renegade stood outside of the Hangar as several massive transport Aircraft landed on the landing strips of Diego Garcia. Militant Officers milled around and the ones returning from battle walked in a line towards the Hangar.<p>

Most of them didn't even bat an eyelid to Renegade nowadays, they still deemed her as dangerous, but they had come to accept her presence and she wasn't going to hurt them any time soon.

As Prime drove from the darkness of the Aircraft, Renegade stood straight and waited for the truck to drive up next to her before she snarked, "Destroying a whole City isn't keeping a low profile Prime, there were other ways in bringing that Decepticon down."

However, her little remarks didn't have an effect on Prime this time as they usually would. He just kept driving and Renegade stood there dumbfounded before accessing her mainframe and contacting Jitter.

::What's his problem?::

::I'm not certain, maybe we will have to see and find out:: came Jitter's unhelpful reply.

Renegade turned around when another, unfamiliar helicopter swept over head. Obviously, it was one that wasn't welcomed either, because Major Lennox didn't look too impressed in who stepped off it.

An older man, dressed smartly in a suit and ties, wire rimmed glasses stormed towards them, and Lennox intercepted them only to have a paper shoved in his face.

"Who does he think he is?" Renegade threw her servo out towards him and Ironhide's voice crackled from inside the Top Kick "Wouldn't have a clue."

"I suggest you transform into your Alt Mode Renegade," Ratchet said disapprovingly as he drove past, "I take it that this Earthling has not seen us before, it will explain his ignorant behaviour towards the Officials here."

Renegade did what she was told and the bright purple SS Aero rumbled through the Hangar and pulled up a little distance away from the other Autobots. She switched off her engine and watched through her windscreen where Jitter disconnected himself and crawled from the centre console to watch as well.

The humans didn't look amused and Renegade found herself hoping that Howlback won't come striding in and giving this bastard of a man a heart attack.

She watched as Prime drove up to a large stand where there were monitors and audios, contacting the Military Government.

They directed the cameras away from Prime and the large Peterbilt truck began to transform, much to the horror of the old man standing down below watching the whole scene.

Prime rumbled on in his deep monotone and began to talk of their missions that had involved more than six Decepticon's. Renegade had come to realise that they were looking for something and had been the one to tell the Prime this.

At least he listened to her on some aspects.

What got her interest was when Prime suddenly played back a message that he had gotten while he had been in Shanghai.

"_The Fallen shall rise again…"_

Renegade felt a shudder reverberate in her frame as Prime continued to speak as if he seemed unperturbed by the message. He finally stopped speaking when the older man standing down below with Epps suddenly shouted up to him.

"With the AllSpark gone! Why hasn't the enemy left the planet like you thought they would?"

Lennox rolled his eyes at the camera, "Mr Galloway, he has been appointed Liaison."

::_What a jerk_::

Galloway stomped his way up to the metal stands in front of the Prime and started to rant about sharing Intel but not advancements in weaponry. Prime started to grow annoyed and the argument only started to get more heated.

That was before Galloway mentioned Megatron.

Renegade felt Howlback stir in her helm and from the darkness of the Hangar, she saw the glinting red optics of the Beast Bot.

"During the battle in Mission City" Galloway shouted, "Reports still state that even though you Autobots claim that you destroy the Decepticon's, why are you harbouring them?"

He looked around the Hangar at the other Cars, "I have reports and footage of one with red eyes being able to transform into a creature only described as a 'Panther!' Care to explain?"

He looked around again, "With NBE 1 at the bottom of the Laurentian Abyss and the _last _shard of the All Spark in the most secure Naval Bases in the world. It makes me wonder if they are here to _hunt _you or reclaim what you have stolen from them! _One of their own_!"

There was a moment of silence before Renegade started up her engine with a deafening roar and drove into the darkness of the Hangar to save her Partner from scrutinizing eyes, and from that glitch Galloway.

"I see one of your Subordinates don't agree with National Security then" Galloway snapped back to Prime, "So if worse comes to worse and we ask you to leave… Will you leave peacefully?"

Prime let air rumble through his shutters, "Freedom is your right, but if we leave and what you think is wrong?"

It left speculation and with that, Prime turned away from Galloway and left the man speechless on the metal stand.

As Renegade allowed Howlback to transform back into her frame, the Beast Bots voice crackled over their private intercom.

::_That man just gave away our position, Soundwave and Ravage were listening_::


	11. Chapter 11

::_He's on the move!::_

Renegade jerked abnormally later on that night with the disaster with Galloway. Inside her, metal crunched and broke as Howlback made her desperate attempt to transform and get out.

"Howlback!"

Her exclaim in pain and shock was enough to draw the attention of Prime and the other Autobots and as she transformed herself, Howlback leapt from the sparking frame of Renegade and bolted from the Hangar and out to the night outside.

Renegade ran after her partner with Prime and Ironhide close on her pedals, through the night, she saw Howlback stop at the end of the landing strip and roar out to the ocean. "What in the Pit is wrong with the Howler!" Ironhide demanded.

"It's her brother!" Renegade said, "She has been tracking him for well over a year now, we weren't certain of the coordinates and then that stupid human Galloway blurted out your secrets. Soundwave was listening!"

"Soundwave?"

Prime strode next to Renegade, "Why didn't you inform us? We can all be in serious trouble, why didn't you say to us that Howlback was in contact with Ravage?"

Prime didn't sound happy and Renegade was quick to defend her partner, "Howlback blocked all contact with Ravage ever since she received his transmissions, this was going back easily eighteen months ago. We were trying to keep a low profile! To keep everybody safe."

"I wasn't even aware that Howlback and Ravage still had their Bonds" Ironhide growled and Renegade spat back nastily, "They are both Beast Bots! They're different from us. Just because you were able to sever your ties with Barricade doesn't mean that Howlback could with Ravage!"

The Femme ran down the airstrip towards Howlback who began to pace nervously. Growls escaped her chassis and as Renegade reached her, the Beast Bot roared to her, "Gun fire! Ravage got the Shard. He's here! On Earth!"

* * *

><p>"What?"<p>

Renegade looked incredulously at the Prime the next morning after the base at Diego Garcia was contacted about the reports of the stolen AllSpark Shard.

"You and Howlback are to come with me" Prime rumbled, "You two are the only Robots that can track the signals of the Decepticon's and with Howlback's ability to track her brother, we have an advantage before they decide to do anything rash."

"So where are we going?" Renegade asked suspiciously, "If you are taking us somewhere to offline us, you better think again. Or we will get into contact with each and every Decepticon and reveal your location!"

Prime didn't take her bluff though, "I will not offline you Frontslayer, I need you to accompany me to go find the human Sam Witwicky. I am informed that he is currently attending what the Earthlings call 'College'."

"Wait…Sam? Bumblebee is with him right?" Renegade asked a little too enthusiastically. "When will we see them?"

"I have already sent Bumblebee a message and we will be there within the next two days," Prime informed her, "We leave immediately. Find Howlback and prepare for what could be the worst."

* * *

><p>"You are aware that this is where the humans bury their offlined," Renegade said uncertainly as she stepped over the tombstones tentatively, "Why did you insist on coming here?"<p>

"It's a safe spot where we can transform without being noticed" Prime said as he waited for Bumblebee and Sam to arrive, "Not very much humans venture up here so we can talk without being disrupted."

"Right" Renegade said, looking over the terrace filled with Crypts and Tombstones. "Being noticed huh… Is that what you are most concerned about at the moment?" She trailed off when she heard the rumbles of a car fill her audios and Howlback confirmed it was the signal of Bumblebee.

"They're here" she exclaimed joyously, "They're finally here!"

Then without much respect to the offlined buried in the ground, Renegade leapt over a large tombstone just as Sam approached them with a disapproving glance as he saw Prime.

"You won't give me one day at College huh?" came his smartass reply, "And you come with the Decepticon's?"

"I'm sorry Sam," Prime rumbled.

As they spoke, Bumblebee transformed as Renegade went striding towards him. His blue optics whirred and focused before Renegade's clawed servo came swinging out of nowhere and hit him across the helm.

"That's…for not coming to see me and leaving me stranded for almost _two _years with 'Bots that I cannot _stand_." Her optics were flashing irritably before she put her claws around Bumblebee's head and clanged their helms together, a pulse shooting from her to him. "But that's…because I have missed you" she said quietly, resting her helm against his.

Her audios picked up on Prime speaking to Sam.

"This isn't my War!" Sam replied indignantly and Prime replied bluntly, "Not yet, but I fear it will be. Your world must not share the same fate as Cybertron. Whole generations…lost."

Renegade felt their gazes upon her and Bumblebee, "Something we haven't seen in millennia because of War" Prime said to the human, "The bonds that we shared as Partners not enemies. This is probably one of the very few…pairs we will see in our lifetime."

Sam looked away guiltily, "I know" he said exasperatedly, "I want to help, I really do. But I am not some sort of Alien Ambassador, I want to be a normal kid with normal problems. I am what I am supposed to be. I'm sorry Optimus but…I can't."

Sam jumped down from the ledge and Renegade reluctantly pulled away from Bumblebee to see the disappointment in Prime's faceplates, "Fate rarely calls upon us at the moment of our choosing."

"You're Optimus Prime" Sam argued, "You or the others don't need me."

"We do more than what you know" Prime rumbled, shaking his head as Sam walked away from him.

Renegade wouldn't have given up as easily as he did, but she felt helpless, as Bumblebee had to break away from her and transform back into his Alt Mode. Her Spark started to crackle sadly and Bumblebee hesitated in driving away as Sam slammed the door.

Then with sad, reluctant clicks and whirrs, the yellow Camaro pulled away from the walls of the Cemetery and drove back down the road from where they came.

::_I would drag his little aft back with us, when have we become so weak to stoop as low to obey ignorant humans?_:: Howlback growled from within her.

::_We came seeking his help and he just turns us all down_:: Jitter asked incredulously, ::_Does he not know of the trouble we are in_?::

Renegade didn't reply to her Symbiotic Partners, only watching Bumblebee disappear, her Spark almost breaking her chassis as he went from her life once again.

* * *

><p>The next day as they were leaving the City, both Renegade and Howlback got a violent shudder and their Audio Communicators flared to life with long dead voices.<p>

_Megatron_

::Prime we have a problem!::

Renegade screeched to a halt on the highway as they were leaving the City and swerved to the side of the road.

::State the emergency:: Prime asked and Renegade linked her and Howlback's diagnostics to the Leader of the Autobots.

::Its Megatron, Ravage has bought him back already. Sam is in danger, there is an unconfirmed life signal after him::

Renegade swerved across the small barricade going onto the opposite side of the highway.

::_Howlback run more tests on the life signals of the Decepticon's and identify who they are and what they are doing, Jitter Bot! Get your little aft in gear, send out an SOS, and get the messages through to Prime_::

Both Jitter and Howlback lurched into their given jobs, Jitters transmissions pulsing through Renegade and to the Prime who was hot on their wheels.

'_Don't do anything stupid Bumblebee_' Renegade could only pray to Primus as she went full speed ahead to intercept the approaching Decepticon's who were coming in fast.

* * *

><p>::<em>Renegade…The Human Sam is in pursuit of a Decepticon with the life signal of a human!<em>:: Howlback sounded disgusted as she said that, ::_Sending data to Prime_::

"They're still at the College," Jitter announced, "Prime has sent the message to Bumblebee and we are in pursuit."

The coordinates following Sam popped up on the inside of Renegade's windscreen and the Decepticon Femme wove expertly through the traffic and towards where Sam was.

::_There is confirmed gunfire in the vicinity_:: Howlback stated, ::_Renegade, we have drawn away from the Prime, we are what stands in between Sam and the other Decepticon's. They are in a vehicle and leaving the College_!::

The Aero sped through the traffic before reaching up behind the crushed little car that Sam would be in before they heard the distinct sounds of a helicopter approaching them.

::_Decepticon_:: Howlback roared, ::_Renegade we will lose them_!::

::_Alright_:: Renegade shouted as the Helicopter swerved in front of them, ::_Jitter, I'm sorry but you are the only one that can do this. Make sure you drag your little aft back to us_::

Before Jitter could even get a word in, Renegade ejected him from the frame of the car and shot the 'Bot through the back windshield of the car just as the Helicopter hoisted it up into the air.

::_I hate the flying ones_:: Howlback growled, ::_Get on them Renegade and hopefully Jitter wont hate us for what you just did to him_::

* * *

><p>Sam didn't fully recognise Jitter as the little 'Bot scrambled over him and his and transformed in the pocket of his jeans. But before he could pull the Ipod from his pants, the car dropped to the earth, shattering the top windows of an old factory.<p>

The impact crushed the front end of the car and the airbags deployed, before the humans inside could even gather what was going on, Jitter got an awful life signal hovering above them as the car was sliced in half.

He felt Sam roll from the car and Jitter ran a small quick scan to reveal Starscream, Megatron and an unknown life source that he hadn't encountered before.

Renegade and Howlback were going to have a field day when they arrived.

Jitter tried to formulate a plan, but being a Microbot, it wasn't going to get him very far, especially with Megatron hovering just above him. He scrapped several plans even before he felt Sam climb down some stairs before the human was flung through the air.

Jitter could feel the shock reverberate through him as Sam landed on something hard, he felt the wires connecting the touch screen rattle dangerously, but thankfully it didn't shatter and Jitter made the bold decision to crawl from the pocket and protect the human as best as he could.

What he saw above him was enough for him to glitch shortly.

Megatron pinned Sam down to a cement slab using his fingers to hold out each limb, Jitter focused his red optics on another Microbot climbing up Sam's chest and Jitter did the noblest thing he could think of.

He blindly ran ahead and with a sparking wire, the Microbot attacked the other in a frenzy of blue sparks and tiny growls and whirs.

Before even Megatron could even fathom at the tiny fight that erupted below him, Jitter had thrown the other one off Sam and they landed on the concrete floor. Jitter's red optics glared down and he recognised the other Microbot from Renegade's memories.

"You're Scalpel!" he growled, attacking the little Doctor once more, "You'll have to get through me to get to Sam!"

Above them, Megatron shouted to Starscream, "Get over here and squash the little Cretin!" Starscream came rushing over only to see a tangle of small silver limbs as the Microbots fought viciously and honestly, Starscream didn't know what to do other than laugh.

So just before Starscream went to bend down and try to pry apart the fighting Microbots, there was an earth shattering explosion and through the rubble and dust, Renegade and Howlback came running down with cannons and weapons at the ready.

"Megatron!"

Renegade felt the fury cascade through her chassis and she jumped from the front of the stairs and shattered the concrete underneath her weight. She lunged towards Megatron as Howlback went for the Screamer, claws extended and a roar escaping her.

Renegade knocked Megatron off Sam and they fell back against the concrete as Renegade held a sword to Megatron's main Energon Lines.

"Thought I would offline that easily?" she spat down into his faceplates, "You honestly thought you could get rid of the Howler and I without _a fight_?"

With her other servo, she fired up her cannon, which began to melt Megatron's chest plates under the sheer heat. "You thought wrong and now you have made a terrible enemy!"

Instead of biting back, Megatron only laughed which surprised the Femme. "Renegade Frontslayer…My little Firefly, I thought I wouldn't come across you again, to think that you fell to Earth all those millennia ago. Learnt your lesson yet?"

"_You _banished _me_!" Renegade roared, pressing the sword into the cables on Megatron's neck, "You made the wrong decision Megatron and you will pay for it with your _life_!"

It was only making her angrier when Megatron seemed to take her seriousness as a joke. She felt the energon pool in her faceplates and she knew that she was beginning to glow blue. "There's the little Firefly," Megatron mocked, his red optics staring at her glowing faceplates, "I won't believe it; if you say you joined those 'Auto Scum' I would laugh. Your optics is still as red as the day you joined. You won't deny your Leader!"

"NO!"

Renegade went to slice Megatron's head from his shoulder plates, but being a bigger and stronger Mech, he was able to lift her off and throw her. Renegade, only being able to slice the armour from his neck and shoulder clean off.

She hit the wall in a flurry of sparks just as Howlback knocked Starscream down and began to tear off his chest plates trying to reach his Spark Chamber.

Just as Renegade heaved herself back up to her feet, she aimed her cannon at Megatron who started to come towards her, his own gun firing up. It was a standoff between the two before the roof caved in and the familiar form of Optimus Prime appeared.

With a careful aim, he shot at Megatron, hitting him fair in the chest and sending the Decepticon flying into the wall.

On the other end, Bumblebee appeared and the gunfire consumed the factory, Jitter jumped up from the floor and yelled desperately in his tiny voice, "Run Sam! The Femmes have it covered!"

As Optimus engaged in the fight, Starscream started to try and get up to gang up on the Leader, but Howlback wasn't going to allow that. From either side of her big, bulky neck, speakers appeared.

A frequency so low pulsed from the Panther and it instantly deafened those to those who didn't have mufflers installed in their helms. Starscream yelled out in anger as his audios began to ring painfully in his helm and Howlback bit into his throat aiming for the Energon lines.

Renegade went for Megatron again, she passed Bumblebee briefly stopping to grab his servo and pleading to him, "Get out of here! Get Sam and the others OUT, The Howler and I can handle this!"

Bumblebee looked at her worriedly as the explosions rang about them and Renegade pushed him away, "Please go!" she shouted, "I can take care of myself!"

She ran towards the fray of Optimus and Megatron, before firing her cannons and knocking Megatron off balance and knocking him to the ground yet again.

"GO Optimus!" Renegade shouted, using the Prime's first name for the first time arriving with the Autobots. I'll hold him back for as long as I can!"

Prime seemed to acknowledge her before jumping from the building and searching for Sam as Renegade went back to fighting Megatron. "You aren't going to get away from me that easily," she snarled, stabbing her Energon sword through Megatron's chest and pinning him to the concrete.

"I'm never going to take you seriously," Megatron growled at her, "You will always be the weak and helpless Femme who will come running back for help. Don't think you can stand on your own two pedes Sparkling.

At the same time, Megatron and Renegade both raised their guns and fired, Renegade hitting Megatron in the chest again near her sword and Megatron hitting her in the shoulder, dangerously close to the casing of her Spark Chamber.

The impacts made Renegade topple, unpinning her sword from the frame of Megatron. He took the opportunity to run, to chase after Bumblebee and Optimus. He transformed and Renegade ran after him, "Your fight is with me you COWARD!" she shouted. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

She transformed back into her Alt Form and roared off in pursuit of Megatron, leaving Howlback and Jitter in the factory dumbfounded. This gave the opportunity for Starscream to escape the lethal clutches of Howlback and run away as well.

It left Howlback to pick up Jitter and run after the infuriated Renegade.

The Beast Bot never knew how fast Renegade could go until she had to catch her.

* * *

><p>Renegade sped through the trees just as she saw Optimus pull a tree from the ground and throw it at Megatron. Pulling every weapon from her arsenal, Renegade surged forward as the other Decepticon's came in from the trees.<p>

In all of her former glory, Renegade Frontslayer brandished her large blue Energon Sword and jumped up; making sure her viciously hooked pedes hit their target before knocking her fellow Decepticon to the ground.

The claws on her Pedes hooked dangerously around Energon Lines of the Decepticon below her, she spat down on him before thrusting her sword right into the Spark Chamber, and slamming her cannon against the Mech's head and blowing it clean off.

Her claws pulled out all the Energon Lines in the chest as well as she stepped off the lifeless body only to see Starscream land on several trees and chase after the small form of the human Sam.

"Screamer!" she growled, before she ran in pursuit of him, "'Screamer get back _here, _you cowardly little MAGGOT!"

She could feel her nature as a ruthless Decepticon emerging from its slumber, the bloodlust to spill bright blue Energon consumed her and her optics were blinded by the thirst to kill. Her Processor began to go blank and she saw the memories replaying in her mind of her ruthless tactics back in the Cybertron War.

She heard another roar and she was over taken by the much faster Howlback who had come back to join the fray. Her shield activated and her large reflectors appeared on her head, there was a blinding flash before she let loose several missiles directed at Starscream.

Both Decepticon's were intent on catching Sam who was running for his life, Howlback managed to trip the Seeker and send him plummeting to the ground and Renegade tackled Megatron so the onslaught on Optimus would stop.

The Autobot was intent on protecting Sam and he was endangering his life to do it.

"Go get him Optimus" Renegade scolded as the Prime tried to help her, "We're only Decepticon's, it doesn't matter if we are offlined, go get that fraggin human and get him to safety!"

She saw even more Decepticon's appear from the trees and within a matter of seconds, it was three against six.

Two Decepticon's ran forward and got Howlback by the throat, slamming her against a tree and Megatron got up to his pedes and threw Renegade to the ground and placing his foot on her damaged chassis.

"Know your place, pathetic Femme," he roared, "Your insolence will get you killed. He drew a sword from the back of his frame before plunging it down into Renegade, pinning her to the earth.

Energon pooled in her vocals and Renegade spat out bright blue energon, choking on it as she tried to curse Megatron. "You don't like it when it happens to you do you?" Megatron sneered down at her.

He got off her smaller frame and Howlback's roar of pain echoes throughout the field.

"_Renegade!_"

Renegade slammed her clawed pedes against the earth, before reaching up and trying to pull the sword from her chassis. She gripped it in two servos before roaring out in agony as she tried to pull it from the earth and from her frame.

But it was wedged, as much as she hated to admit it, she was only a Femme and she didn't have the strength of a Mech. Megatron had thrust that sword so deep into the earth that the hilt of it was grinding against the chassis.

Energon was pooling in her Spark Chamber and it was going to kill her if she didn't act fast. But all she could do was lay there helplessly, digging her claws into the earth waiting for death to consume her while her Partner was being strangled against a tree and Optimus was now fighting alone.

She heard Sam scream out in horror and then the earth rumbled beneath her. She turned her head to see the Prime fighting with his two Energon swords, fending off Megatron, Starscream and one other Decepticon.

He was doing an admirable job; he wasn't called Prime for nothing.

But it was short lived, Prime fell one Decepticon before stumbling around and looking at the carnage around him. "Sam!" he called out worriedly, "Where are you?"

Everything seemed to move in slow motion then, Renegade saw Megatron pull his own Energon blade out and stabbed it right through Optimus' chassis before shoving his cannon into the hole and blowing out the Prime's Spark Chamber.

"You're so weak!"

"NO!"

Renegade thrashed around desperately as Prime fell to the ground and Howlback blinded her captors once again, burning their optics before ripping out their Spark Chambers expertly. But in that time, it was too late.

With all her strength, Renegade grabbed the hilt of Megatron's sword and ripped it from her chassis, her Spark was thundering in its casing and in a pool of bright blue energon, Renegade stumbled to her pedes only to see Optimus say to Sam in his dying breath, "Sam… _Run_."

His optics offlined and Renegade began to choke on her own energon as the hope she had fled her. Howlback was choking on her own crushed cables and nursing a limp in her back leg where it had been pulled from the joint.

Sam began to run and the rest of the Autobot team arrived seconds too late.

"Autobots attack!" Ironhide roared.

With Megatron being the one outnumbered now, he decided to retreat under the furious barrage of the Autobots.

Renegade could only make it two steps before her optics offlined and she crumpled to the ground with Energon flying up into the air, seconds after that, Howlback fell as well.


	12. Chapter 12

**We all take Google for granted.**

**Hands up if you know you would be screwed without it! *Raises Hand***

**We all seem to forget that they are MASSIVE Robots with infinite access to the Internet. They found Sam over Ebay for crying out loud. Its not hard to use! **

**Enjoy**

* * *

><p>She woke with emergency care from the Hatchet.<p>

All Renegade could do was see the image of Optimus Prime falling before her eyes, even when Ratchet said that he had never seen a recovery so quick and remarkable despite the extensive damage she had received.

Renegade didn't care on how she 'miraculously' survived, she was being eaten away by the guilt that had consumed her and they could only wait until they were flown back to the Hangar.

But what baffled Ratchet even more was the speedy recovery Howlback made. The Beast Bot had injuries of her own, by the time they reached the base, it was as if she had never fought in the battle and was as good as new.

Neither of the 'Bots knew that it was something that was wedged away in Howlback's chassis and it was starting to burn, Whatever it was, it was annoying the Beast Bot and she was going to get it out.

Renegade was infuriated when she saw the chains holding the frame of the deceased Prime just let him fall to the ground in a flurry of sparks.

It was her fault that he had died; it was because she was weak. He died protecting her, while she lived and he offlined. So in this case, treating his body with such callousness it made Renegade angry.

So as she and the other Autobots transformed around the body of the Prime, they were instantly surrounded by yellow patrol cars and she saw it as a direct attack. At the same time, Renegade and Howlback drew their guns and pointed them to the advancing humans.

"What is the meaning of this!" Ironhide exclaimed furiously, following suit in drawing his gun. "You dare point a gun at me? Do you want a _piece _of me?"

He took a defensive stance and the humans milled around, one yelling out, "Here are the Decepticon's Sir, they've been here all along!"

Renegade threatened to crush the humans under her pedes and Lennox shouted furiously, "Drop your weapons!"

The humans shouted at each other and suddenly Galloway appeared from one of the Patrol Cars. "NEST is deactivated," he commanded. He shouted at Lennox and began to point the accusing fingers at the Autobots, demanding that they return back to base at Diego Garcia.

When he realised that he was in the vicinity of Renegade and Howlback, all guns were pointed on them. The Autobots were quick to defend them and Renegade challenged them to shoot her.

She ignored the cries and shouts around her, only to step forward and tower over the tiny man known as Galloway.

"Are you aware of what you are getting yourself into?" she shouted. "You think that this is _your _War? You think you are going to win it?" her voice rose to a roar that shook the entire base, "_We have been fighting for millions of years! Long before this PLANET was even CREATED!"_

She ignored the guns and continued to glare red daggers at the cowering Galloway, "You are speaking with a former Decepticon LEADER for Cybertron. I CONDUCTED the Battle Strategies and I KILLED whoever got in my way! And you're in my way!"

A glob of energon fell down beside Galloway and splashed over his suit, he jumped away and Renegade hissed, "You have messed with the wrong Robot little man" she seethed, "And I speak to the truth when I say that I have you by the nutsack and that I don't follow the Autobots! Hence…YOU!"

"Can somebody shoot her!" Galloway shouted to the patrol cars.

"Howlback!"

Howlback didn't need to be told twice, she extended her reflectors out and the Autobots covered their eyes as a blinding light filled the Hangar, blinding the humans. As they were blinded, Renegade strode past Ironhide and hissed, "We're going to make it right! It's up to _us _now."

* * *

><p>"How are we going to do this? The Humans will be out to find us and if we are found by Decepticon's we are as good as offlined!"<p>

Renegade drove through the traffic, heading away from the City as Jitter and Howlback worked tirelessly from within her. "A couple of rogue Decepticon's won't bother the humans when they are on the scale of a full out War" Renegade said, "And the focus is on Sam, so if I can get a signal on Bumblebee, I will find Sam."

"So what sort of brilliant plan do you have Renegade?" Howlback asked sarcastically, "We don't have a _clue _on what to do or to even start!"

"You're wrong!" Jitter suddenly said, "Back in the factory, after you shot me from the car. I fought with another little Microbot, it was a little doctor and before I attacked him, he was projecting little…images off of Sam. It was writing that I should have recognised but I couldn't…"

"Writing?" Howlback asked, "A language?"

"Maps!" Jitter said, "Megatron was intent on finding a map, it was going to lead him somewhere."

"It must be Ancient Cybertronian," Renegade muttered. "And how would you know?" Howlback exclaimed, "We're old Renegade, but not _that _old."

"I know!" Renegade barked, "But I spent a long time as a Neutral Howlback, my Opiluk was _that _old and he used to school me on the Ancient Primes that used to lead the planet! They used to harvest Suns for Energon so we could leave comfortably."

"Of course" she said to herself, "For once, something that my Opi taught me was actually relevant in saving a fraggin planet! Never thought I would see the day that would come."

* * *

><p><strong>Cybertron XXX<strong>

"_Do I have to?"_

_A young Renegade Frontslayer moaned and groaned over an open book at the table as her Opiluk strode around her. _

"_Yes Renegade" he said disapprovingly, "Even though there is War raging around us, I want my Sparkling to know of the History of our Race. You will be like any normal Sparkling and obey your elders and learn their stories!"_

_Renegade forced back another sigh and stared down at the book with the ancient language spread and glowing against the steel frames of the book. She picked it up begrudgingly and tapped the sides to change the page and stared at the symbols for another long nanoclick before setting it back down and sighing._

"_Opi…why?"_

"_Because I said so!" her Opiluk shouted at her, "Now you sit there and you will come to learn the hardships that our race had to become. It is ignorant Processers like you that have made the Planet the way it is and I'd be damned to Pit if I ever allow a Sparkling of mine to become a Single Bit Processed Autobot or Decepticon."_

"_Now" he began his lecture, "Back before the War, back in my time Renegade, there were Seven Leaders who went by the name of Prime. Not the Prime who runs the Autobots but those who ran our race as one."_

_He made sure she was listening before reciting the story, "Now, the Primes went out to the other Planets of the galaxy to harvest large stars by the name of Suns so we can gather Energon. You do know what Energon is Renegade?"_

_She nodded obediently._

"_Good. So we harvested Suns to sustain life on Cybertron, then there were the ones we called the 'Seekers' who went out and found these suns, but the Primes had one rule, if there was life on these planets they wouldn't destroy their sun."_

_Renegade nodded and her Opiluk went unhindered in his lecture, "Then a long time ago, the Primes found a planet that had life after they had built a Sun Harvester. They decided to scrap the whole mission, but one Prime named the Fallen, didn't like that."_

"_Didn't like that they had to stop harvesting the sun on that planet?" Renegade asked innocently, "So what did he do against the other Primes?"_

"_This was a long time ago," her Opiluk explained, "I was naught but a Sparkling myself when this happened. My Opiluk taught me the language and the stories of the Primes." He put a large servo on her head, "To work a Sun Harvester, the Primes had a key called the Matrix, a very powerful tool that could even bring back Robots back from the well of All Sparks. When they took the key from the Fallen, they hid it away in a tomb made of their own bodies and it wasn't found on the planet again. When the Fallen came back to Cybertron with some of the Seeker's they became Decepticon's and that's where the fighting began. One of the Seeker's was my Danniluk and she said the Harvester was in a vast land that was surrounded by sands and primitive life forms."_

"_What does the Sun Harvester look like Opi?" Renegade asked flicking through her optical book. Her Opiluk leant over her and clicked to the right page and showed her a large, triangular like object that towered seemingly into the skies. "That is what it looks like my little Firefly," he rumbled. "My Danniluk used to say this before she was offlined by the Fallen himself, "To find the tomb of the Primes you have to follow this clue, When dawn __alights the Dagger's Tip, Three Kings will show the way."_

* * *

><p>"Three Kings?" Howlback sounded clueless, "Dagger's Tip? Was your Opiluk on High Grade at the time? What is that supposed to mean?"<p>

As the two Femmes pondered about it, Jitter went quiet before he suddenly chirped and said one word, "Egypt!"

"What?"

"The Three Kings is a Constellation, also known as Orion or the Hunter" Jitter said knowledgably, "The three Pyramids of Giza in Egypt were made in their image. So what we are looking for is in Egypt and that's where the Fallen and Megatron will go."

"How did you find that out?" Howlback asked suspiciously and Jitter looked at both the Femmes, "Google is very useful. Haven't you two used it?"

* * *

><p>"It's Egypt! That's where we have to go and obviously that's where Sam wants us to go as well!"<p>

Renegade strode through the Hangar as Lennox walked beside her, "How did you find all this out?" he demanded and Renegade tapped her helm, "An old story my Creator told me mixed with Google. With a tool that advanced why is humankind so dim?"

"You ask me," Lennox muttered, sending a glance to Galloway's direction, "So Renegade, they say the Dagger's Tip, that's a Gulf located at the tip of the Red Sea. It separates Egypt from Jordan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. It's commonly known as the Gulf of Aqaba known to the Jordanians and the location of where we have to drop Optimus' body."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Renegade asked, "Sam has the Key we need to bring back Optimus and stop this Decepticon Leader, The Fallen. It will save the planet and then I can kick Megatron's aft back to Cybertron!"

She shook her helm in disbelief, "I can only imagine Megatron going to such lengths to reveal us all. We're going to be made to leave the planet…just you watch."

The pair strode through the Hangar only to be stopped by Galloway as he came racing up towards them, waving a piece of paper in front of them. "What is this Decepticon doing back on the Base? She is the enemy, conspiring to destroy the human race!"

"Conspiring to wipe you out" Renegade muttered.

"She is a valuable asset to our team and a consort to stop the Decepticon's!" Lennox argued and Galloway snapped back, "All it takes is to look into those red optics and know that she is evil! Can't you see that Major? I have a hard time believing you when you say she is _valuable_."

He waved the paper around, "I have a warrant from the United States…"

He stopped talking when a gush of warm air descended above him, he looked up only to see Renegade bend down on her pedes and stare at him menacingly.

Galloway could see the wisdom and the age old grief in those computer-like eyes, the metal holding her face together marred by scratches and centuries old scars. She was as old as the human species and yet…here she was, threatening him.

"Jitter?" was all she said in her metallic voice.

From the windows on her chest, there was a small movement and Galloway stepped away when a very small, spider like robot appeared and climbed down the metal plates of the female robot.

Without a word, the little silver robot wrenched the paper away from Galloway and shredded it, right in his face, before throwing it back at him like confetti.

"That's what I think of your piece of paper," Renegade said almost kindly to the man, "It holds no meaning to me, now if you would excuse me, I have an actual mission to finish and it doesn't require squishing you."

She got back to her pedes with a groan and strode away with Major Lennox in tow, leaving a gaping Galloway in the middle of the Hangar.

::_That would probably be the most frightening thing I have ever seen_:: Howlback said from within Renegade's frame, ::_To see you acting so sickenly kind even had me trembling in my frame_::

"You're actually pretty good to get along with" Lennox said casually as he looked up to Renegade, "If you showed you had this much sarcasm and tenacity earlier on, we could have become better friends."

"Don't get used to it Squishy" she growled, "It'll make me purge if I ever admit the fact that I have an Earthling friend."

"Sure" Lennox smiled, releasing his gun, "That's what Ironhide says. Or do you put on the air of being a bitch to everyone because you want to look 'cool' in front of Bumblebee."

"What happens between Bumblebee and I stays between us," Renegade said heatedly, her Spark rumbling in its damaged casing when she mentioned the Mech. She knew Lennox had leverage now but the Major only chuckled, shut his mouth and kept walking.

::_What an Aft Hole_:: Howlback growled.

* * *

><p>Optimus was loaded up in the cargo bay of one of the C-17 aircraft's as the others were loaded up in two more. They were making their way straight to the given coordinates; they were not going to waste precious time.<p>

The Military was all full speed ahead and Renegade couldn't help but revel in the fact that she had proved humans and Autobots wrong, she was a help and she couldn't wait to tell Optimus when he came back online and see the look on Bumblebee's faceplates.

…

Several hours had passed and Renegade found herself going into a much needed stasis after she had put her body through so much stress. All she wanted to do was to offline Megatron and spit in his face.

She wanted to prove that Femme's were on par with the Mechs and that they were not to be looked down upon or treated badly for what their gender was.

She was going to get her sweet revenge, she wanted to make Megatron suffer, wanted to see him squirm. It made her energon boil when she thought about killing him.

Before she knew it, she was rumbling to a halt and she came back online to find that Howlback was urging her frame to transform and break free of the nets holding the robots in place.

"I'd be glad to get out of this plane," Ironhide demanded, throwing aside the net as Sideswipe cut through his. Renegade transformed and threw the net off herself and strode to the back of the plane feeling a little unsteady on her pedes at being so high up in the air.

It only took one moment for her to look down to the earth so far below them to realise that she didn't like heights. She didn't want to jump from that cargo bay.

"Come on you scaredy glitch" Howlback bit from inside her, "Don't decide now that you are going to stay back after you demanded this whole expedition?"

"I'm not a Seeker alright!" Renegade bit back, "There's a reason why I stay on the ground on my own two pedes, because I _don't like being in the air_!"

"Well too bad!" Howlback shouted, the Symbiote pushing Renegades legs forward and making the Femme topple from the ramp of the plane and start to plummet through the air. "I'm going to kill you Howlback!" came Renegade's furious response.

The parachute deployed and within seconds, the large frame of the Femme toppled to the sand and almost instantly, the sleek purple car burst from the dunes of sand and roared through the small ruins from where they landed.

Everybody got into place and Renegade ran the tests on the incoming threat and flashed her high beams at Lennox. He took the signal and the officers grabbed their guns and readied themselves behind the barriers and protecting the body of the Prime. "I hope they know what they're doing."

::Starscream's here::

Renegade waited in anticipation, when the Communication died down Howlback knew right away that Soundwave had interfered and now they were running deaf. They had to be on the lookout, it was getting more dangerous by the second.

Then within seconds, Decepticon's rained from the sky and Lennox barked his orders to the Autobots and his men.

'Find Sam pop the green smoke and come back through the pillars so they know it was you.' Renegade raced ahead with Ironhide on her pedes to look for Sam as the Decepticons began their fight.

"We're gunna get our asses whooped" Epps muttered.

::I've detected Megatron, Starscream and one Wrecker by the name of Devastator::

Howlback ran her tests before transforming from Renegade's frame and racing ahead to jump on one of the Decepticon's and bring him down. "Ravage is several miles down the dunes Renegade," she shouted, "Along with Sam and Starscream!"

"I'm on it!"

Opting to keep her clawed pedes instead of her wheels, Renegade slipped precariously over the fine grains of sand as she made her desperate dash to find Sam before Starscream. "Be careful Renegade!" Jitter shouted at her, "You're outnumbered five to one!"

"I'll be fine," she muttered, sensing Bumblebee was close with her Spark. "Jitter you just focus on the internal systems alright? I need to be firing on 100% Capacity alright!"

She raced ahead, leaving Howlback to her own devices trying to track down the now fleeing Sam. She didn't recognise most of the Decepticon's that had milled around and she doubted they knew who she was.

So Renegade took the risk to dive straight in past these thugs and all it took was one gaze to her Decepticon crest and ruby optics and she wasn't noticed again.

'_Typical' _he thought vehemently, _"Nothing like the Decepticon's from back in my days. Brainless glitches."_

Renegade easily caught up but before she could run any further down from behind the building, her servo was yanked back and she went stumbling against the frame of a familiar yellow Mech.

She felt her Spark hammer in her chassis and start to grow warm and as she looked up to the blue optics of the Autobot, he held a finger to his vocals, telling her to be quiet.

Ignoring the thrumming in her Spark Chamber, Renegade pulled away and tried to hide her glowing faceplates and tried to focus on the task at hand. Even though it meant Sam's safety, Renegade couldn't get her Processer off the Mech that was so close to her.

::_Are you aware that you are starting the process of Spark Bonding?_:: Jitter accused, ::_Now is not the time to be swooning over the opposite gender alright! We have a mission to complete!::_

'_Spark Bonding'_

Renegade found herself surprisingly fond of the idea when she thought about it, but Howlback's harsh voice snapped over the Intercom, _"Don't think so Renegade Frontslayer, get your aft into gear!"_

When Renegade stopped daydreaming, she realised that Bumblebee was already gone and fighting the Decepticon's that were holding the humans hostages.

"_Dammit Renegade! Focus!"_

She was about to race in and take the fight from Bumblebee but she hesitated when she saw how well the young Autobot was fighting. Within a matter of seconds, Bumblebee had almost incapacitated the Decepticon.

That's until she saw a smaller, prototype Beast Bot come slinking towards them.

"Ravage!"

Renegade was about to step in and end the fight but there was a crackle over the Intercom and Howlback leapt over the rubble of a fallen building with a vicious snarl at her Partner, "Leave Ravage to me!"

Howlback crushed her brother against the stones of the building and Renegade was able to see the recognition flicker in Ravage's large red optic in seeing his sister again. He ceased fighting momentarily and this gave Howlback the opportunity to crush his shoulder plates in her massive jowls and carry the Protoform away.

Either Howlback was going to take pity on her brother or she was going to kill him herself.

Bumblebee continued the fight and within another couple of seconds, it was all over and done with. Renegade felt pride well up in her chassis and Bumblebee looked fairly proud of himself.

He gestured to Renegade to come forward as Sam and the other humans bolted for the dunes where the body of Prime lay. Renegade smiled genuinely up to Bumblebee, "I'm proud of you Bee," she praised warmly.

The two Robot's blind and deaf to the fighting around them stepped closer to each other, with their very different coloured optics locking with each other.

There was no other Robot in the whole galaxy that Renegade loved more than Bumblebee.

"**You never knew how much I missed you" **Bumblebee whirred to her in Cybertronian, letting his helm fall against hers comfortably. **"I'm not letting you disappear again."**

"**I'm always going to be around now Bee" **Renegade whirred back **"Just don't leave me behind next time."**

Only Sam's desperate yelling for Bumblebee bought the love-struck robots from their trance and they both shook their buzzing helms and ran over the sand. Bumblebee looked over a ruined arch to see Sam and before Renegade could even get to say goodbye to Bumblebee, the yellow Camaro was given orders and he disappeared once again.

'_When I get my talons in him I'm not going to let him go again' _she thought.

::_Just make sure I'm not around then alright?_:: Jitter snapped over the Intercom, ::_Spark bonding is for two robots, not three!_::

::_Stop complaining Jitter Bot! It's a wonderful thing_:: Renegade snapped.

::_Wow, Howlback is right. You are scary like this_::

Renegade raced after Sam and Mikaela, "I got your back Sam!" she shouted, "Run for your life! Get to Optimus!"

Both humans and Robot raced over the sand dunes, Renegade shot down several Decepticon's before they even saw Sam coming. "Keep going!" she roared.

When she saw Megatron, she lunged forward past the running humans and used her body as a shield when the Leader of the Decepticon's began to fire, by then, Ironhide had caught sight of them and she was getting support from the Autobots as Sam raced for the still frame of Optimus Prime.

Explosions rung out all around them and Renegade soon lost sight of the human as he disappeared behind clouds of smoke and dust. She jumped over the stone slabs that used to be pillars and shot down several more Decepticon's before she saw the lines of Military Soldiers led by Lennox to run in to grab Sam and the other human Mikaela.

Renegade felt a burning feeling envelop her shoulder and she was knocked off balance as she was shot in the back by a rogue Decepticon. She fell face first into the sand, the earth rumbling beneath her before she heard her name being shouted.

"Renegade!"

She struggled up to see one other Robot come running towards her as the others focused on the onslaught of enemies. She didn't even need time to think that it was Sideswipe before he held out his servo and she grabbed it.

"Differences behind" Sideswipe shouted, "We are fighting on the same team and we need to stop Megatron!"

"Even though I still hate you!" Renegade shouted over the rumbles and explosions, "I'm not going to kill you!"

::Megatron dead ahead::

Renegade yet again, stumbled over the sand and dragged her heavy frame almost sluggishly through the explosions to fire at Megatron who was also making his sluggish way towards the humans where and to where Optimus lay.

"Not on my watch" she growled.

There was a shriek that pierced the air; Renegade threw up her servos around her helm in defence in case Starscream had come to attack her. A quick look around the area showed no Starscream. With a shudder racking her frame, Renegade saw a little light flashing across her internal screens.

She was running on 48% capacity. If she kept going the way she was, she was going to offline herself.

::_Be careful Renegade_:: Came the pleading voice of Jitter ::_Your frame won't be able to take any added stress_::

A much older, oxidising Robot appeared in the sand, wiping out two Decepticon's, the Femme only watching with wide optics as she recognised the carvings on the body. It was Ancient Cybertronian, A Seeker, A Robot as old as her Great Danniluk.

Time had certainly taken its toll on him though and he was indeed rusting and falling to pieces even as he moved to attack the Decepticon's. It didn't take long for him to get shot and he was down on his pedes more of his frame crumbling beneath him.

"Renegade you have to run!" Ironhide ran past her with his chest on fire, "Air Strike is coming, they are going to bomb this whole area!"

Jerking her gaze away from the Seeker, Renegade raced after Ironhide and saw Megatron running behind them with his teeth bared and roars escaping him. She saw who they were no protecting and saw Lennox, Sam and Mikaela running across the courtyard.

She saw the aircraft come zooming above them and saw about several missiles fall to the earth and the explosions almost sent the Femme rocketing off her feet. Her internal errors flashed down to 26% and she felt the bolts and wires start to unravel in her legs as she strained them over the sand.

Sam broke away from the group, making his way towards the body of Optimus and all Renegade could do was stumble over as her legs gave way and watch with horror as Megatron appeared from the smoke with a savage roar.

Sam was sprinting as fast as a human could go before Megatron fired his cannon and the small human went flying up into the air like a ragdoll and flew several metres before crashing back into the sand.

"NO!"

Renegade fired up her cannons and shot at Megatron simultaneously, the tanks lined up doing the same thing. But with Sam lying still on the sand, there was no reason for Megatron to stay and withhold the gunfire ripping him apart.

Renegade looked over the carnage and saw Mikaela running over the sand, streaked with dirt and blood, screaming out Sam's name. Lennox ran over to the still body of Sam and Epps shouted into the radio for Medical help.

They had failed.

Renegade let a metallic cry escape her chassis as she lie in the sand, she saw more humans come running through the rubble shrieking Sam's name. His Creators.

A shadow loomed over Renegade and she saw Bumblebee assess the situation only to see Sam lying limp in the sand surrounded by rubble and fire. He dropped his servos before looking back down at Renegade, grief flooding his optics.

"I'm so sorry," Renegade cried, her optic ridges clicking. "I'm…I'm useless!"

Bumblebee fell beside her and Renegade reached out for him and rested her aching frame against his as Mikaela shrieked out to Sam.

"Sam I love you! Please…Please come back to me. I love you!" she sobbed into the tattered cloth of his shirt.

All the robots could do was just stand or sit there and watch how it all played out with the humans and if not they could save Sam, Renegade only felt more and more guilty; blaming herself for being too weak to save Prime or Sam.

She couldn't even protect the one person Bumblebee spent two years protecting, she had let him die, in front of everyone while she lagged back and did nothing.

Before she went to go apologise to Bumblebee again, he reached out and gently grabbed her servo. His optics focused back in on Sam and Renegade did the same to see the human jerk up.

"H-He's alive!" she breathed.

Within moments, Sam had gotten to his feet with great urgency before bending down and picking up a long, metallic silver key that Renegade recognised from her lessons with her Opiluk all those millennia ago.

"The Matrix of Leadership" she breathed.

Sam had gone straight to the body of Prime and plunged the Matrix into the Spark Chamber. The area filled with power as the Leader of the Autobots came back online and Renegade couldn't help but feel joy spread through her.

But within moments, the atmosphere had changed and Renegade could even process what had happened before Prime was knocked off his feet and the Matrix was gone. She grabbed for Bumblebee blindly, her processor buzzing and crackling weakly.

"Prime!"

"Get UP Prime!"

"Come on Optimus!"

_The Fallen_

All focus turned on the pyramids where the Sun Harvester was and Renegade could only sit there uselessly and try to formulate a plan that involved _flying _up to the top of that slaggin pyramid and stop both the Fallen and Megatron.

She couldn't just come to the straight fact that she was useless and there was nothing she could do. All she had to do was sit back and watch the planet be destroyed before her very optics.

Some heroic way to die.

Her and Bumblebee turned back to the old Seeker, who struggled to his Pedes, his faded red optics glistening in admiration as he spoke to the battered form of the Prime.

He offered his parts, his Spark and without hesitation. The old Seeker ripped his Spark from his chest and fell into the sand, a small smile on his faceplates.

Dying a true death of a Cybertronian.

Renegade pushed at Bumblebee, "You go and join the fight" she whispered weakly. She gestured down to her leaking frame, bright blue Energon dripping onto the sand. "There's not much I can do now, unless I want to offline myself."

"**This is Optimus' fight" **he clicked at her, **"I'm not leaving you again Firefly. I swear on my Spark."**

* * *

><p>It was nightfall when the gunfire ceased and Decepticon's were no more.<p>

Renegade was helped out of the sand, Bumblebee carrying her to where Ratchet and Jitter were making emergency repairs until they could return back to base.

Howlback returned after the fire, carrying the frame of her offlined brother Ravage. She wouldn't tell Prime or Renegade on what happened, Only to hide away and protect the Protoform from the destructive hands of the humans.

Renegade was none too pleased when she heard that Megatron and Starscream had gotten away. But with Megatron only sporting half a helm, Renegade could barely contain her smirk on how much the glitch would be suffering now.

She was here and she was safe and she was alive. That was all she could ask for.


	13. Chapter 13

**Yeah...Bayverse Transformers with G1 and Animated being integrated in :P **

**Gives more of a storyline **

**Enjoy**

* * *

><p>A sleepy SS Ultimate Aero rumbled through the Hangar one dreary morning.<p>

The rain outside blanketed the whole area in a misty gloom and all the doors were shut to prevent the icy water from streaming in and ruing all the equipment in the Hangar.

"Rise and Shine Sleepy Heads" Major Lennox looked up from the desks filled with Monitors, "It's almost afternoon already and you are only just waking up?"

"Quiet" an irritated, female voice crackled from the car, "If somebody needed me, they could have woken me earlier, if I am given the chance to stay in stasis longer I will take it."

"You are aware that Prime is back?"

"Frag."

The Purple Sports Car twisted and whirred with amazing speed and Lennox could only chuckle when the familiar form of one Renegade Frontslayer raced to the reflective steel of the Hangar and tried to rub off some marks on her helm.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she shouted out over her shoulder plates.

"You were asleep" Lennox shrugged.

"Jitter Bot and Howlback, get your Afts up and out here immediately!" Renegade seemed to shout to the empty Hangar. Within moments, Renegade's frame twisted again and the large black form of Howlback transformed, her own ruby optics glinting maliciously.

The Beast Bot was grumpier and very irritable nowadays, even to the extent that Renegade had never seen her like it and opted to stay away until Howlback decided to be in a better mood.

The tiny form of Jitter, the small Mech who had mosied his way into the Sparks of all the 'Bots around him almost three and a half years ago appeared as well. He looked around the dark Hangar before checking the date and said in an uncertain voice.

"Prime came back today didn't he?"

"Yep."

"What time is it?"

"11:47 AM."

"He came back nearly three hours ago."

"So?" came the snappy response of Howlback, "It's only the Prime, who gives a frag on what he thinks, we aren't his little Autobot 'Minions' to boss around."

The two Femmes and the Microbot Mech started to walk down the Hangar behind Lennox who led the way with a smirk on his face.

"He's been gone for seven months Howlback, or did you lose track?" Renegade said disapprovingly, "We have been without several members for months. You're not in least glad?"

"No" Howlback growled, "I don't care about the 'Scum', it's sickening enough knowing that I have to work with _you _after you _Spark bonded _with the Baby Bot!"

"Don't get me started" Jitter groaned.

"Just the thought of the sappy bonding makes my chassis melt in disgust" Howlback spat, "I was glad when he went on that mission."

"He comes back tomorrow thank you very much," Renegade snapped icily, "I'm going to think all the sappy thoughts I can just to _spite _you now, you cranky old Beast Bot. Seriously, what is your problem?"

The four walked through the large metal doors to the Autobot Hangars where they heard the growly, irritated voice of Ironhide, "Are you two still _fighting_?"

"Nice to see you too Ironhide, it's only been what? Seven months" Renegade greeted as she walked over the concrete, separating away from Lennox and Howlback, only to realise that the team Optimus Prime had taken out had considerably decreased in size.

Prime didn't look amused as the three slunk in; Renegade took the quick opportunity to see who had come back out of the team that had been taken out.

Prime

Ironhide

Sideswipe

That was it. There were _six _missing.

"Frag."

She tried the next best response, mustering up all her smiles and sickingly sweet remarks, Renegade looked to the Prime and said in an over exaggerated cheery voice.

"Good morning Prime, I can't say how glad I am to see you and the oth-…"

"Enough!" Prime boomed, shutting Renegade up.

She clamped her vocals shut and stared at the Prime dumbfounded, she hadn't seem him so stressed and irritated before. She could understand the fact that she was three hours late for a meeting and these past seven months could have been stressful on him.

But in the Pit had she done wrong?

"First off" Prime rumbled, "Do you go into stasis and turn your _Intercom off_?"

Renegade shot a nasty look to Howlback's general direction before looking back to the Prime, "I guess?" she muttered.

"Were you, Jitter and Howlback aware that we had a meeting scheduled at _eight _AM this morning?"

"**Yes**" was the simultaneous response.

"Primus forbid, who locked the doors to your Hangar!"

"I did…" Renegade muttered, "I-I lost track of time and it was still so dark outside and we all just stayed in stasis, we didn't even know it was today that you were coming back Prime. If we had set an internal alarm and…"

"Did you Spark bond with Bumblebee whilst I was gone?"

Renegade stopped in her ramblings and stared at Prime with wide optics, pointing a clawed finger at him, "**That **was by mistake. We tried to stop but…it just kept going and…."

"Ugh stop" Ironhide gagged, "I don't want to know." The Weapon Specialist looked back to the Prime, "Is that all you wanted to know? To see if they actually had bonded with each other?" Ironhide didn't get an answer as Prime shook his helm almost tiredly.

"Young ones nowadays" he growled, "I will speak to _both _of you tomorrow. Get out of my sight and leave me be. I have a lot of work to do."

Prime turned his back on Renegade and the others and walked to the opposite end of the Hangar to where the large double doors were open and the rain was pelting down relentlessly.

"Somebody isn't happy at all" Jitter muttered, "This can't be the fact that we were three hours late for a meeting. It sounded more like an interrogation to me."

The Decepticon Trio walked from the Hangar as quickly as they could to get away from the burning atmosphere the Prime was melting before Renegade opened up the bonds she and Bumblebee had created when they had Spark bonded.

'_Bee, we're in a lot of trouble. Prime has come back and didn't sound happy in the slightest that we had Spark Bonded. He's going to talk to the both of us when you get back tomorrow.'_

'_That was pretty much a given with the Leader though wasn't it Renegade? I thought we spoke about this already.'_

'_You should have seen him Bee! He was furious, he sent everyone away. Something bad did happen though.'_

'_What was the number?'_

'_I counted six missing.'_

* * *

><p>Renegade only started to get worried about Howlback's foul mood when the Beast Bot began to pace around the Hangar. She paced for several joors before she shuddered and made a dash for the large doors that led to the pouring rain outside.<br>"Howlback?"

Renegade heaved herself to her pedes and ran after her partner only to see the Panther looking up into the dark sky with what seemed like smoke coming from her.

"Oh no" Renegade whispered, ignoring the rain, the Femme ran out with her panicked voice calling for Jitter, "Howler's on fire Jitter, we need tests stat!" she fell down beside her Partner; her red optics whirring and searching for the problem.

"Get it out!" Howlback yelled, "There is something _in _me and it is _burning _me from the inside out! Just hurry up and pull me apart!"

Renegade was finding it hard to see what was troubling Howlback when they were standing in the pouring rain, but it did show her what was hurting Howlback and it was something that could potentially kill her.

"I hope it's not your wiring," Jitter said jumping onto Howlback's shoulders, "We're going back inside Howler, we can help you in there and I can see what I am doing! If you are on fire we have to hurry."

Renegade got back up and looked down to her partner, "Can you walk back to the Hangars Howler? Or do I have to carry you?" Without hearing a response from the large Panther Bot, Renegade watched her run back towards the Hangar before running there herself while linking herself to Ratchet and Prime.

::There's something wrong with Howlback! Her wiring may be sparking and catching fire::

::I'll be right there:: Ratchet's grumpy voice barked over the Intercom.

Renegade received a 'Ping' indicating that Prime had gotten the message but he didn't reply.

As she raced inside, Howlback didn't care in the slightest that she was opening her chassis. Most Femmes found that highly embarrassing and only reserved it for Spark Mates but in Howlback's matter. Nobody cared.

The Panthers head lifted back, her chest plates moving aside to reveal her Spark Chamber and the multiple Sparkling Carriers made for carrying young in the Beast Bots.

Howlback flung open the casings covering her Spark, her voice crackling. "Whatever it is, it's burning my casings away. It's been happening ever since we got back from Egypt and I can't take it anymore!"

Renegade stared into the case where Howlback's thrumming Spark hummed beneath her servos. Jitter crawled down her arm, connected himself to the wires and searched through the wires and from where the smoke was billowing.

"Something is in here Howlback" Jitter's little voice came out, "The metal casing has been melted, but…it's…healing?"

"Melting and healing at the same time?" Renegade asked, lowering her frame down to the ground so she could peer in easier. She saw Jitter turn his helm and nod, "It's been happening as if it had been caught in a loop. It burns the metal away and then heals it. No wonder she has been so grumpy lately."

"Shut it Jitter Bot" Howlback threatened.

"What seems to be the problem?"

Ratchet and Prime came through the Hangar, only to see Renegade to an exposed and smoking Howlback.

"Something is melting her Spark Casing!" Renegade exclaimed, pointing a finger to her Partner, "Jitter is already in there trying to get it out, whatever it is, it has been wedged in there ever since Egypt!"

"Well that explains the bad moods," Ratchet grumbled as he strode to the other side of the Hangar to grab a steel berth and carried it back over to the Femmes. He sent a pointed glance to Prime, "You could be the only one to pick her up, she may not look that big but she has a few good tonnes on her."

"Are you making fun of my weight?" Howlback snarled from the casings on her back, "This is solid armour and the necessary equipment to go into battle!" she instantly stopped speaking and began to growl when Prime hoisted up her frame and put her on the berth so Ratchet could inspect what was happening.

"I got it!" Jitter explained, "But whatever it is, it's stuck and I'm not strong enough to pull…it out."

"Hang on" Ratchet snapped irritably, "Jitter, shine a light on what is causing the problem, I can see if I can get it out myself."

A small, bright light appeared from inside of Howlback and Renegade could only sit back on her pedes and watch helplessly while her Partner had suffered.

Some sort of friend she was. Couldn't even tell when her partner needed help, even though she had always claimed she knew Howlback better than any Bot on the base.

"What on Primus…?" Ratchet pulled some clamps out and delved into the chassis before there was the sound of snapping metal and a roar of pain shuddered throughout Howlback's frame. Then there was several sparks of blue electricity and Ratchet drew back out holding a small object in his clamps.

"What is that?" Renegade asked suspiciously.

"Prime…" Ratchet sounded serious and Renegade was quickly overcome with the bad feeling that a tracking device had been implanted in the Beast Bot by the other Decepticon's; they would have to leave the base, or even worse be offlined.

"This has the same energy signature as the AllSpark. It has healing properties which has been the reason why Howlback has been able to make remarkable and rapid recoveries and in turn, Renegade as well when they are joined."

Prime strode over and took the object from Ratchet, "So it is similar to that of an AllSpark Key? How did a Decepticon end up with _this _wedged in her Spark casing? What would have happened if she was found with it?"

Ratchet could only shrug and Howlback was left to defend herself, her voice came from her casing. "This was going back when we had infiltrated the Hoover Dam. Renegade was in stasis and Bumblebee and I had been captured."

Her cooling fans switched on, expelling the rest of the smoke from her frame, "I had escaped after discovering they were harbouring Megatron and jumping from a window and snapping my leg from the bolts and joints. The AllSpark healed me and this could be the after product. That was when I had _saved _the Jitter Bot."

"When I first found it, it didn't have such a potent signature," Jitter explained in an uncertain voice. "I had only just been sparked and when Howlback asked me to look inside to see what had been making her uncomfortable, I found it and put it back. I…thought it was her property."

"It seems to almost resemble a Cassette Tape," Prime said scanning the object, Renegade got back to her pedes. "Howler was trialled to be a Casseticon back on Cybertron. Unlike her brother, she didn't take to the transition and proved to be too much work for Soundwave. We had been carrying that old cassette for millions of Stellar Cycles. The Cube must have transferred some of its power to that. Burning it to a crisp in the meanwhile."

"The human…Sam" Ratchet grumbled, "He must have received the Maps and the Stories from the AllSpark whilst this 'Key' Howlback had been carrying holds all the power and healing properties. If the Decepticon's found out we had this in our possession, it could pose a great threat."

"We can't let the human know we have it either" Renegade interrupted, "You gave the last shard of the AllSpark to them and look what happened!" she settled her optics on Prime, "It's up to you on what you want to do with it Prime. If you want to keep it or I can take care of it so the 'Bots don't get into trouble."

"But you're still a Decepticon" Ratchet pointed out, "You have at least proved yourself, but can you trust Howlback?"

Renegade turned back to the Beast Bot, who was transforming back to her Panther mode. Her ruby optics gleamed maliciously when she was scrutinized by the 'Bots standing around her.

"I'm not going to betray Renegade" she snarled, "Neither of us are in contact with _any _Decepticon and I am pretty assured by the fact that _they _want us dead as well. Just because we have red optics doesn't mean that we're evil!"

She stepped back with a growl, "Unless _Renegade _tells me otherwise, I won't attack or harm any damned 'Scum' under this tin roof! I have no choice but to follow _you_." With one last growl, the Beast Bot stormed from the Hangar and Renegade was left fiddling with her fingers.

"I guess she's right" she murmured, "The Howler won't be able to get very far without me. She doesn't like to admit it, but being joined with me for all that time. It's turned her into a full Symbiote Robot. But…we can at least all agree that she's still one lethal Femme."

The other 'Bots didn't comment and silently, they agreed with her.

* * *

><p>"A Key? Howlback had that eating away her Spark all this time?" Ironhide broke the line and looked at Prime. "If the Decepticon's find this out, they will attack us in numbers! You gave it back to them?"<p>

"Thanks Ironhide" Renegade snapped, leaning forward so she can send a seething glance to the Weapons Specialist, "Not like I'm here or anything. I _won't _go back to the Decepticon's! It's quite hard to change your optic colour you know."

"But how would we know?" Sideswipe snarled, "I haven't trusted you ever since I came here, so if you get it in the helm that you have this power, you're going to hurt everything we had worked to save!"

"Don't you start" Renegade warned dangerously, "Haven't I been able to prove myself over these last two Stellar Cycles? I know it may never fix the hatred for what we have for each other and I do admit that I have done acts that were despicable back on our planet. But it was 'Kill' or be 'Killed.' Do you really think I had a chance?"

"That was because of Howlback!" Ironhide spat, "That Beast Bot didn't want to die, so in a way Frontslayer, I could sort of understand your predicament. The one we have to watch _is _the Beast Bot!"

"We have already discussed that!" Renegade shouted, "I know a lot of you don't trust us, especially Howlback. But she won't do anything to harm us! Didn't she help in Mission City? Defied her Leader for the first time and helped save Sam Witwicky? Didn't she pair up and _help _Jazz before he was offlined?"

She folded her servos across her chassis, "And she redeemed herself yet again by helping everyone in Egypt! See here you 'Bots, I don't give a frag if you don't like Howlback or myself, but we're Partners and we have been for an incredibly long time. Nothing will let that come between us!"

"Oh yeah?" Sideswipe challenged, "Look again Frontslayer, Howlback already has competition and _she knows it_. Have you even asked her on how she feels about _Bumblebee_?" The Autobot Frontliner looked satisfied with his comment, especially when Renegade faltered and looked down to her frame where Howlback was transformed inside of her.

"W-Well" she stammered, trying to build her argument back up against the line of Autobots, "Howlback has always known that Bumblebee and I knew each other before the War, she knew of the… special connections we had and never argued it. If Bumblebee and I were to ever come back into contact again…we had an…agreement that she would keep out of our private…affairs."

"It's a pretty hefty risk don't you think?" Ironhide growled before looking to Prime, "We have come to know that each and every time you two 'met' back up on Cybertron during the War. You…refused to kill him?"

Renegade hesitated, "If you must know, I didn't _want _to kill Bumblebee. We were only Sparkling's; we grew up together. I wasn't going to kill him; I didn't…have the Spark to." She looked down to her pedes guiltily before she heard Sideswipe snark again.

"Well I bet that the Beast Bot wasn't happy about that. If you had such a 'soft' Spark, you wouldn't have done half the things you did back on Cybertron." The silver Corvette stared at her icily, "Do you even remember doing those things? Or was it that Beast Bot controlling you? How would you ever know?"

"That's enough," Prime barked, but the damage had already been done.

Renegade twisted and formed to allow the savage transformation of Howlback. The Panther stood straight on all fours, extending out her joints and pistons. Standing as high as Sideswipe's chassis, she roared.

"Do you not think I can hear everything you _say_?" she was almost face to face with the Frontliner and Renegade had to run forward and throw her servos around the neck of the Beast Bot who suddenly seemed too massive to be a simple Symbiote.

"Howler!" she begged, "Please don't blow a gasket! You know how much of an Aft he is. I'm trying to _help_ you!"

Howlback was beyond furious though, Renegade could hear her wiring crackling and her fans hissing hot air. The Beast Bot snarling and baring her teeth savagely, "What if Renegade doesn't know? Do you still think I possessed her so I could use her servos to tie your 'Brother' to the front of that ship and jet him off into space? The 'Brother' that you haven't seen since?"

Sideswipe's optics narrowed in anger and with brutal strength, he stepped forward and sent Renegade tumbling off her pedes and to the concrete with a resounding 'smash.' Bolts and nuts went flying up into the air as something snapped in Renegade's frame.

She hissed at the sharp pains racing through her circuits, before struggling up to see Sideswipe try and throw Howlback against the wall of the building. There was the screech of clashing metal as two frames grinded against each other.

Howlback skipped back several paces before ramming herself back at Sideswipe, trying to knock the Frontliner off his pedes.

All around them, the Autobots, Lennox and the Team yelled at them to stop fighting. Ironhide trying to grab Howlback and Ratchet trying to wrench Sideswipe away, but the two Robots had gone Volatile and there was no way to get through to them.

"Jitter" Renegade commanded, "Grab the Key and get out."

The purple Decepticon Frontliner's optics were focused on the long, silver claws that had extended from the Howler's feet and she barely wasted any time after Jitter escaped with the Key, leaving the Microbot on the concrete; Renegade raced forward just as Howlback raised her leg with her exposed claws.

There was the sudden shriek of metal and everything seemed to move in slow motion for everyone in the Hangar, Robot or human.

Renegade stood in between Howlback and Sideswipe, with her servos flung out either side of her frame. Howlback was frozen to the spot with her claws still extended, her snarl frozen to one in anger and shock.

Then, in a clash of energon and the grind of metal; Renegade's heavy chest armour slowly separated and fell to the earth. Bright blue energon splashed over Howlback, the Beast Bot only seeing her Partner's chest fall from her Protoform.

The front of Renegade's Spark Casing was cut clean off, her bright thrumming Spark stuttering at the sudden shock. The rest of the Protoform was sliced and scratched, Renegade's wires crackling and sparking on where they had been sliced.

Howlback could only watch horrified along with the rest of the Robots as the other Femme crumpled to the concrete in the pool of her own Energon. The Beast Bot had gone for the killing blow, but she could have potentially killed the wrong Robot.

What in the Pit had she done?

_Renegade!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Well here's another chapter, sorta filler-ish but I threw a twist in there. Can anybody point it out :P**

**Read and review :D**

**And ENJOY**

* * *

><p>"I don't want to use that Key again in case it does something to harm her!"<p>

Ratchet stared disapprovingly at the Key that Jitter was holding before looking back to the frame of Renegade. "This was the extent of the damage one could receive under the attack of Howlback in the Wars. If she had gotten any closer, she would have pulled this Femme's Spark right from the Casing."

Ratchet shook his head, "Renegade was built armoured, to withstand the fury of the volatile Beast Bot. But even then, she could have been cut clean in half."

Jitter heard Ratchet's Intercom 'Ping' before the old CMO growled, "Bumblebee isn't in the least happy out there. Trust Renegade to almost offline herself the day he returns home."

"She is going to be alright isn't she?" Jitter asked hopefully, Ratchet nodded. "She'll be fine; she's one that won't offline easily, as we have seen in the past. Her armour can withstand it. The only one that would still be in shock would be Howlback. Primus knows where that 'Con disappeared to."

Ratchet left his Med Bay and Jitter just stared back at the almost healed form of Renegade. With one use from the AllSpark Key, it had proven its Medical worth at healing most of Renegade's injuries. What only remained were scratches and broken clips where her armour wouldn't go back onto her Protoform.

There was a moment of silence before Jitter heard the whirring of Renegade's frame rebooting and starting back up. There was a small beeping noise before Renegade's voice finally came. "How long was I out for?"

"All morning" Jitter said absently, "After the fight, Ratchet bought you here and Howlback disappeared. Bumblebee returned and is almost having Spark Failure out there."

"I can feel that" Renegade grumbled, sitting up on the steel berth, "I'd forgotten on how much that 'Bot had behind her swing." She readjusted her helmet before noticing the Key on the small table beside Jitter, "Did you use that on me?"

Jitter nodded again, his optics staring off into space. "Was Sunstreaker Sideswipe's brother?"

Renegade let her cooling fans expel the hot air from her frame, as if she were sighing. "Yes…" she muttered, "Besides those moronic twins, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were Frontliner's in the War, very much like Howlback and I."

She threw her pedes off the side of the steel berth, "We had a bitter past and we hated each other down to our very cores. I had fought with them on numerous occasions. But it was Sunstreaker that was the one in charge of the duo. A very vain Autobot that cared for nobody but himself, Sideswipe did nothing without the command of his brother."

She got to her pedes and stared down at her scratched Protoform, "Then, the day came where we had our fight for the last time. Sunstreaker threatened to expose Bumblebee for being a 'Spy' for the Decepticon's. He knew it would aggravate me into going Volatile, something only Frontliner's can do and it worked. I would do anything to protect Bee, even though we were on opposite sides, I almost dismembered Sunstreaker limb from limb and chained him to an Autobot ship."

She grabbed the pieces of her armour and tried to clip them back on, all the while, explaining her story to Jitter. "Long story short, I shot the ship into the air with a blue signal on it and all the surrounding Decepticon's saw it and shot it from the sky. Sideswipe saw me do it, but I never told him why I did it. I just stood there and laughed as the pieces fell around us; I didn't even check if Sunstreaker was still alive or even on Cybertron. But Sideswipe being here means that his Brother didn't die. I just don't know where he is anymore."

Renegade eyed off the Key sitting on the small table beside Jitter, before reaching down and grabbing it. "War is a terrible thing Jitter; you have only seen the cusp of it. You would never want to see the things that happened on Cybertron. I had to watch _Sparkling's _be slow roasted alive, our _young ones, _Because Megatron ordered it. That was one of the only things that would break me and it's what got me banished."

She watched the blue electricity dance around her Protoform as her armour realigned and forced out the dents. Her Spark began to ache as she did so, "It was because of Megatron that I wasn't able to have Sparkling's of my own. But you don't need to know any more of that."

"I already knew that" Jitter said quietly, picking up some of his tiny tools and putting them away. "You're missing components that allows you to Spark a new life. You forget that Ratchet and I rebuilt you from scratch when you almost offlined. Ratchet feels bad for you, he said that they didn't treat Femmes very well back on Cybertron and now that we're almost extinct, we don't have a chance because there are hardly any of you left."

"Well he's right Jitter Bot," Renegade muttered, "We Femmes were looked down upon and seen as 'weak,' in the optics of the 'Cons and the 'Bots. Megatron belittled me and made sure I was run into the earth every chance he got. Being a Femme sucked and…it still does. He had to make sure he destroyed everything that made me a Femme and it ruined me in the process."

She fixed her armour and saw Jitter give the Key one weary glance before climbing down from the table and start to walk across the floor. "Howlback knew she had to protect you didn't she?" he asked in a low voice, "She failed and she has been beating herself up about it ever since. You do know she wanted you to be happy. It was why she never killed Bumblebee on sight when she was ordered to."

"How do you know this?" Renegade asked and Jitter just kept walking, "When you two are in stasis, your memories become more pronounced. Howlback has been troubled by them for a long time and I feel hopeless knowing that I can't help either of you."

Renegade went to go say something, but the doors to the Med Bay shot up and Bumblebee came running in looking panicked. When he saw her up and well, the relief pooled in his optics and Renegade felt her Spark thrum in relief as well as their Bonds came back online.

"**I'm so glad you're alright" **his desperate whirrs sounded, **"Did Howlback actually attack you?" **he grabbed her servo and checked her over before pulling her into a tight embrace. **"It would just be unfair to me if Primus took you away from me as soon as we had finally gotten each other back."**

Renegade couldn't help but feel guilty when she heard this; she was stuck at a crossroads now. She couldn't help but feel the situation had boiled down to her having to make a choice.

Whom could she choose after all of this? Howlback or Bumblebee.

"She's on the other end of the island," Prime rumbled as Renegade came back out from the Med Bay, putting the AllSpark Key back inside a storage case in her chassis. "I suggest we just leave her be for now so she can her Processor together. It would have been a shock to her to find what she had done to her Comrade."

As Prime said this, Renegade sent a quick message to the Beast Bot over the Intercom.

::_Howler, I'm alright. No damage, I forgive you so please…come home. I hate seeing you angry and upset_::

Bumblebee kept a firm grip on her as they both looked up to the Prime who seemed less amused each and every time they saw him. The other Autobots hung back, looking away or making themselves look busy while the Boss was around.

"You two…" Prime's fans shuttered, before he stared down at the smaller Robots standing in front of him. "I prayed that you two would be more sensible before rushing into situations that could potentially become much harder for us in the future. I hope that you will come to understand the consequences that will come with Spark bonding; it comes with great care and responsibility."

Bumblebee nodded and Renegade just stood there. She had been overcome by the nostalgic feeling that her beloved Opiluk, before his demise was lecturing her. Optimus acting Creator-Like was almost terrifying.

"If _anything_ arises from your _time_ together" Prime went on seriously, "I hope you have the understanding to come to me right away and let me know. You are young and you can get carried away…"

Renegade started to glow from embarrassment, Prime trying to give them the 'Talk?' How low could he get? Bumblebee looked shocked as well and from the other side of the Hangar, Ironhide and Sideswipe were trying not to laugh.

Despite her embarrassment, Renegade looked up to Prime feeling the sorrow grip her Spark. "I appreciate what you're trying to do Prime, rest assured it won't happen. I lost the ability to Spark a long time ago. I can't have offspring."

The laughing stopped abruptly and Ratchet gazed at her with pity in his optics. Prime drew back and seemed almost dismayed when she said it. Renegade looked down and grabbed Bumblebee's servo, refusing to look him in the optics before she left the Hangar with the yellow Mech in tow.

* * *

><p>Renegade had eventually found out what had happened on that doomed mission some time after Prime had come back to Diego Garcia.<p>

They had come across a nest of Decepticon's making plans to attack, they had been grossly outnumbered and in the fight, Skids, Mudflap, Chromia and Flareup had been offlined. Jolt had been offlined not long after and Arcee was MIA.

She hadn't been traceable since, it was as if she had dropped off the radar all together.

Not a lot had happened on Base at Diego Garcia for a long time almost two years in fact, news of Renegade and Bumblebee 'tying the knot' grew old fast. Most of humans and 'Bots knew not to joke around with Renegade about having 'Sparkling's' running around the base, knowing that it was a sore spot for both the Femme and the Mech Bumblebee.

Then the day came when Howlback detected signals coming from the atmosphere of new approaching Transformers. She came bursting into the Hangar and informed Prime who immediately made a Squad consisting of Ratchet, Renegade, Howlback and Jitter.

Renegade was ecstatic at the opportunity to finally leave base and work with the Autobots and to see who had dropped to Earth. She had many enemies, not that it bothered her much anymore, Sideswipe still hated her but at least they weren't trying to kill each other

Using Howlback's suburb tracking skills, Optimus and Renegade were able to track down the first crash landing in Southern California and the other on the outskirts of Illinois. All in a matter of a week, Renegade saw an old nemesis in Mirage and had never had the 'pleasure' in meeting on enthusiastic Wheeljack.

Ratchet looked almost horrified, as the chatty Robot appeared covered in dents and scratches but otherwise fine in any other case. The old CMO was brisk and almost rude to him, which could make Renegade smirk to herself quietly.

Either way, both Autobots had the same adverse reaction when they set eyes on the unfamiliar Ultimate SS Aero. They saw Decepticon, the enemy and they _both _had the intention to attack both Renegade and Howlback.

It took Prime a long time to explain that they were not enemies, that they were part of the team now. They had a hard time believing that until Renegade had to defend herself and said that she had even Spark Bonded with Bumblebee.

What had turned into a fun mission to hunt down more of their species, turned into one that Renegade wanted to finish and go back home. All she wanted to do was melt away into the darkness and hide away from the rest of the world, seriously tired of being rebuked for what she did back in the past.

If Prime could sort of let it go and make things easier for her, why couldn't the others?

'_I'm tired of being spat at Bee' _

'_Tell me what happened Firefly, who did you find and what did they do to you?'_

'_Found Mirage of his narcissistic self and some glitch designated Wheeljack. Both tried to attack Howlback and I. Didn't even give Prime the chance to explain, they just saw the red optics and that was it. Why is it so hard to change the colour of your optics?'_

'_It's something that you can't help Firefly, besides; I think the red goes with your purple armour. It wouldn't be you if you just suddenly changed, it will be hard to adjust to.'_

'_That's you Bee, you're my mate and you feel obligated to say that. The other 'Bots don't, they would rather have me out of the picture and it will make everything a lot more easier for them to cope.'_

'_But you __**are**__ my mate, they're just going to have to get used to it. You're slowly redeeming yourself Renegade and even Prime can see that you are trying your hardest to try and be one of us.'_

'_At a cost to myself, I will forever be in the middle Bee, I always have been. I am doing this for you because I care about you and you are the one my Spark had chosen. I'm not doing it for anybody else.'_

'_You could use the human term you know Firefly, you really don't have to sound too monotonous and robotic. I won't mind.'_

'_Won't mind if I use the human term 'I love you?' that's all you wanted to hear isn't it?'_

'_I will see you back at base Firefly, please be safe.'_

Renegade cruised down the highway in front of the other 'Bots after she had her conversation with Bumblebee. She weaved in and out of the traffic ignoring the conversations that were going on in the back of her Intercom with Prime and the others.

On the other hand, Jitter and Howlback were eerily quiet, the Beast Bot making no effort to be part of anything except being deadweight in the back of the car. Jitter was doing something, but Renegade didn't even bother to ask. She just kept going at her own pace ignoring everything around her.

There was suddenly the roar of a car coming up behind her and Renegade did a quick scan to see a reckless driver come tearing up the highway on the outside lane. It pulled into the lane next to her and the purr of the engine seemed to urge her into going up into the next gear.

Was this human…challenging her to a race?

Renegade shifted over into the next lane and the other car followed her, they both broke through the line of traffic and saw the long empty highway in front of them. Renegade did a double take on the car challenging her.

Ignorant humans.

Then, unexpectedly, Renegade roared her own engine and put the pedal to the floor. The Aero lurched forward and began to tear down the highway, with the other car hot in pursuit of her.

::_Renegade! What are you doing?_::

Jitter and Howlback's voices rung through her internal systems and Renegade didn't have time to speak back when this damned car pulled up next to her in the other lane and were nose to nose.

::Renegade Frontslayer!::

Prime's voice now came over the main Intercom, sounding displeased at her sudden desire to race a human.

::You do know better than this, refrain from the race and come back into rank with the rest of us::

::She's having a race? Allow me to join!::

::I wouldn't do that if I were you Mirage, Prime is already displeased::

Renegade went to go oblige by the Prime's orders, but as she went to shift down the gears, something about the other car just ground her the wrong way. She felt an immense hatred towards it and the driver she could see behind dark tinted windows.

::Not until I beat this aft hole:: she declared stubbornly.

Her Speedometer was ticking close to 220 mph and she was pulling in front of the other car beside her. She got the feeling that the overhanging bridge on the highway was the finishing line and she sped towards it.

She beat the other car by a good length before screeching on her breaks as they had caught up to another lane of cars. The car slowed down considerably and Renegade took to opportunity to see the other car slow down briefly beside her.

She saw a gleam on the front of the bonnet before the car sped away, leaving Renegade and the other 'Bots on the highway. It quickly disappeared and it left Jitter asking a question, "What sort of car was that?"

"That…has been a style of car I haven't seen in quite a while" Renegade said, "A Lamborghini Contach, Haven't seen it in the colour yellow for a long time either."

* * *

><p>"Renegade got into a drag race?"<p>

Lennox sent an amused glance to the purple sports car, "You weren't racing a Bugatti Veyron were you?"

"No!" Renegade's voice snapped over her radios, "It was a Lamborghini and I won thank you very much, before I got scolded like a Sparkling from Prime when he eventually caught up."

"What you did was dangerous!" Ratchet snapped at her, "You and that other driver should have known better than to race two powerful sports cars down the highway where there were innocent civilians on the road."

"That's something I expected Sideswipe to do" Lennox said as he walked past the tarmac as the other 'Bots drove along behind him and Renegade.

"Trust me" Renegade said wryly, "This driver was so…_confident_ and it just…it made my wires burn and I just had to _beat _whoever it was. I hated them, right away. It reminded me a lot of Sideswipe!"

"I think you're looking for the word 'Cocky' Renegade," Lennox said casually, "As long as you stood them up and beat them at their own game, I applaud you. Just shows how gutless some people actually are."

"You shouldn't be encouraging her," Prime rumbled from behind them, "What she did was dangerous and if something were to happen to a human or herself, we would be in a lot of trouble."

Heat gushed from Renegade's fans, she didn't enjoy being treated like a young one, she was fully-grown and knew how to handle and compose herself. This…was just something that she had to do to show up some aft who thought he could upstage her.

She and the other Autobots transformed to their Bi-Pedal modes as the others left at the Base came out to greet them. Howlback and Jitter broke away from Renegade, much to the displeasure of the newly arrived Wheeljack and Mirage.

Despite the Prime being annoyed at her antics, Renegade couldn't help but jump over to Bumblebee and tell him what happened, her two large purple doorframes shuddering in excitement and delight.

That and it also cemented the fact that she and Bumblebee were indeed Spark bonded so the other Autobots didn't have a chance to keep giving her a bad time. But it wouldn't stop them from giving Howlback nasty optic gazes.

"Alright while you were away guys" Lennox called to attention, "We have come to know that after the disaster Megatron and the Fallen caused, and majority of the humans know that we exist. Still it is recommended that we keep a low profile; hence, the reason why we have been given the order to move into a new Base somewhere Washington D.C."

"Washington?" Renegade asked, "Just a little bit in broad daylight isn't it? How are we going to hide a massive Organisation dedicated to Alien Warfare against the Decepticon's in a massive city like that where there are people _everywhere_?"

She looked around to everyone, "Hey, I know that I have been kept in the dark about a lot of things the 'Bots have done, I know its _National _Security and I haven't thought much about it and let it go. I'm just worried that I might not be allowed to go with you guys when you move. Am I still deemed a threat?"

"It's not so much the threat of you and Howlback being former Decepticon's Renegade" Lennox explained, "I think a worry still arises though, about you going on missions. You can aptly transform back into a car if need be…It's just the problem in trying to hide Howlback."

Yet again, Howlback had caused trouble without meaning to. And it was seriously pissing the Beast Bot off.

"Trust me" Lennox tried to assure her, "This was a request from the Whitehouse itself, it is to assure them that we can work side by side with civilians while maintaining our duties. We will find a way to accommodate Howlback, especially when we will need her for covert Black Op missions."

::_That's just to make me feel better_:: Howlback said darkly, ::_All they want to do is experiment on me for what I am_::

::_Renegade wouldn't allow that_:: Jitter said disapprovingly ::_Neither would Prime_::

Renegade stared to the line of Autobots who weren't putting up much of a fight, they actually seemed to agree with the fact that they were being transferred to another base. She knew her opinion didn't really matter, but as long as she got to stay with Bumblebee, she didn't care. Not much seemed to bother her nowadays.

* * *

><p>Howlback knew security was there to monitor her.<p>

It was getting to the point that the Beast Bot was finding herself allowing to become upset at the lack of trust towards her, even with the Autobots.

She knew that Renegade defended her each and every time something was brought up against her, but it didn't need a genius to see that she was tiring of it as well. So Howlback stood outside of the large building under the sign _'Department of Health and Human Services' _the night of the transfer.

It had obviously been planned for a long time, the facility decked out in top of the range technology in Telecommunications, Weapon Warfare and systems for Ratchet to resume duties as CMO of the Autobots.

Each 'Bot had their own designation, Hangar and Bays in the massive building equipped with the necessary equipment they needed in said designation and profession.

As Howlback walked through the impressive new base, their names were called out over a large PA, then put into large holographic screens above each Bay.

'_Optimus Prime' _a computerized female voice rung out across the building, _'Leader, Please report to Bay…Three'_

'_CMO Ratchet and…Jitter Bot, Medics- Bay four and…five.'_

'_Ironhide…Weapons Specialist, Hangar Seven…Bay three and…four.'_

"Ha" Ironhide laughed back at the other Autobots who hadn't been given a Bay number yet, "I get my own Hangar and _two _Bays. Like to see you try and beat that!"

'_Bumblebee, Scout, Report to… Bay six.'_

Bee's name appeared over his Bay as it was designated and as he drove from Renegade Howlback heard their Designations being called over the PA System, _'Frontliner's…Renegade Frontslayer, Howlback…Sideswipe report to…Hangar nine…Bay Nine, Ten…and Eleven.'_

Howlback saw several large blue screens illuminate the air above each bay, their names appearing over their given Bays. Renegade was stationed beside Bumblebee, Howlback in the middle and Sideswipe on the end.

'_Wheeljack, Weapon Inventions and Technology…Bay two.'_

'_Spy, Sharpshooter… Mirage…Bay One.'_

With all the 'Bots given their Bays on where they were to live, Howlback looked around the shelves lined around her and saw numerous computer upgrades, guns, missiles and even knives and daggers. Not that it mattered to her anyway because she was a Beast Bot, but she was impressed to see mufflers and new high beam lights for her Frequency Blast and Reflectors.

They were well prepared and even Howlback was a little impressed on what they had done to accommodate so many large robots in a very large city.

She looked back around the Base and saw all the 'Bots speaking to each other and showing off what kind of equipment they had, Renegade pulling out a large cannon and proudly showing it to Bumblebee before calling out to Ironhide and holding it up.

It was all fun and games for now, but for the Autobots. Nothing ever stayed like that…not for long anyway.


	15. Chapter 15

::**Renegade…I have a bad feeling**::

Renegade looked to her partner several months after their transfer to Washington DC; the Beast Bot had gone into the Bay now occupied by the purple Frontliner with an unsettling rumble in her chassis.

They were the only ones in the Building at this current time, with the other Robots out on their own missions. Renegade had finished her one early and had returned to base to catch Bumblebee on his way back from seeing Sam.

Renegade had been none too pleased when she found out that Sam had coincidentally ended up in Washington the same time they did. But he had a new girlfriend and a new life and was trying to secure a job with the Autobots with very little success.

At first, she had been paranoid that Bumblebee was going to leave her again. Only to find that Prime had revoked the Guardianship of Sam Witwicky after the incident in Egypt, Sam was no longer a concern to the Autobots and was simply considered as an 'acquaintance.' It didn't stop Bumblebee from going to see an old friend though.

"What's the matter?"

Renegade stared at her Partner evenly, Howlback looked deeply unhappy about something and it was bothering her to know what the Beast Bot had found out.

"What have you found Howl?"

When Howlback was satisfied that she had Renegade's full attention, she looked around the empty Bay before lowering her metallic red visor and projecting a holographic image in front of Renegade.

"I had hacked into Ravage's systems and downloaded all the files that had been secured there. His firewalls had been out of date but I had managed to find the locations of numerous Decepticon's. Soundwave included. What bothered me…was the fact that Ravage hadn't been the only 'Pet' he had sent down to Earth."

The image showed the Protoform of a long wyvern looking Transformer and Renegade knew right away who it was.

"So little Laserbeak is making himself known is he?" Howlback nodded, "I also gained access over the Microcon Colony that build up to create Reedman, but this is something that you should know."

The image showed snippets of video that revealed a long cylindrical like object that Ravage had seemingly collected under the guidance of Soundwave and had them hidden. When it showed that, the atmosphere suddenly went tense and Renegade shot up to her pedes, covering the image with her frame.

"Howl, _they're Space Capsules_" she looked around the Hangar again, "Decepticon's are collecting the components for the Space Bridge! You do remember what happened on that day right?"

Howlback didn't need reminding of that day when she was part of the Order to have the Autobots ship _The Ark _shot down from the sky on Cybertron. She had fully intended to kill who had been fleeing in the ship but had failed and the ship was never to be seen of again.

"It means that the Ship is either on Earth or close to it" she snarled, "If they're collecting _them_, it means that they have a plan and they have found it! And found the Captain as well!" She shut off the holographic image but kept a small map highlighted in front of Renegade, "Prime doesn't know I had hacked into Ravage's files."

Renegade took one look at the map before she sent a gaze to her partner, "How about a little recon Howl? Just you and me…like the old days? We have to go find ourselves a Space Time Capsule."

* * *

><p>The signalling device led Howlback and Renegade to the well-known Roswell Base in Atlanta. It had taken them an all-day drive along the highway, ten hours to drive over a thousand kilometres and in the dead hours of the morning. The two robots stared at the towering high-rise gates of their destination and Renegade backed out.<p>

"I'm sorry Howl, but this is best off left to you. You weren't part of the secret Police for nothing back on Cybertron. There's not much a Frontliner like me can do, other than destroying the whole base and alerting the officials."

"Thought you were going to say that" Howlback muttered, backing up and scanning the fence. "Leave it to me Renegade; all you had to do was drive here. I'll do the rest." The Beast Bot then jumped over the fence, dodged several alarm lasers and melted into the darkness. Leaving Renegade very much alone in the darkness.

'_Where are you Firefly? I thought you were waiting back at Base?'_

'_Decided to go on a little Recon, got some disturbing calls and decided to check things out. Everything's fine though. Just have to make the long drive back home is the hard part.'_

'_What happened for you to drive out all the way to Atlanta?'_

'_I seriously didn't know…Howlback was the one that took it. I just had to be her transportation.'_

'_Alright, well, I'm going to lead a team out in the Middle East Firefly, Mirage, Sideswipe and Wheeljack are coming with me. The humans have been operating an illegal Nuclear System and we're going to shut it down.'_

'_Well you be careful, you have a more dangerous mission that what I have. Is Prime still out on that 'Official' Business?'_

'_Yes, last I heard, he had gotten an urgent call to go to a place designated Chernobyl. They found something there. But I will see you back at Base, we are being deployed.'_

'_Alright Bee…Come back in one piece alright..'_

As Renegade stopped the communication with Bumblebee, her attention was diverted to a large explosion that suddenly erupted out in the Roswell Base. Fire reached out to the heavens and shrill alarms blared to life in the still night air.

"Howler" Renegade muttered, "This was something we weren't _supposed _to do."

She pulled away from the dark roads surrounding the roads, her engine purring as she done a quick location scan to reveal Howlback running towards her. The Panther leapt over the fence with ease with a silver object in her mouth.

::_GO Renegade_::

Confused and mildly alarmed, Renegade swerved onto the road and sped down the asphalt with Howlback running behind her as the Naval Base sounded more alarms and deployed the Night Troops.

…

"We're going to have to find another way home you know" Renegade said heatedly as they came to a stop on the dark areas of the Mountains surrounding Atlanta. "They're going to have Troops crawling all over here within the next hour or so to hunt us down. What were you thinking?"

"Everything was going fine until one measly human caught me. He shot at me and I…killed him." Howlback snarled, putting down the cylinder and staring at the silent car parked in front of her. "Nothing is going to stop me from hating the Organics Renegade and you can shout at me all you want, but to put it simple, I killed it and it felt _good_."

But instead of the onslaught of threats and shouts the Beast Bot was expecting, Renegade half transformed, grabbed the Cylinder and put it back inside her before starting her engine and driving down the road.

Not a word was said.

* * *

><p>When day break came, Renegade allowed Howlback to transform back into her frame and they began the long drive back to Washington, going through a lot of States to bypass the checkpoints the Military had set up to catch the intruders.<p>

Renegade had to get out of Georgia before the Borders were swarmed, drove into Tennessee bypassing a lot of the towns to drive into Kentucky and driving back towards the Coast towards West Virginia to get back to Washington.

When Renegade had to stop for fuel, she spent the last day of driving gagging and her engine gurgling sadly all the way to Washington. As they hit the borders, she had to stop and transform.

"I'm going to purge" was her weak response before dashing into the trees and retching the contents of her tanks.

After a few breems of Renegade feeling sorry for herself, she stumbled back out onto the hills and transformed back into her Alt Mode and rumbled back out onto the Highway.

::_Renegade! There you are. Where in the Pit have you been? I haven't been able to contact you all week_::

Jitter's stern, yet tiny voice sounded in her Intercom, ::_First you disappear off the Radar and you send the entire base into a frenzy because they thought you defected!_::

::_Not now Jitter_:: Renegade moaned, ::_I think I had consumed bad organic fuel, I've spent all day purging my tanks. If Officers from NEST come to see us in, make sure they bring out some Energon Cubes. I'm about to die out here_::

::_There's no need to exaggerate_:: Jitter snapped, ::_You just better hurry up and get back here, the whole Base will be in a lot of trouble. First your little escapade in Atlanta and the 'Secret' Mission Bumblebee took out was a disaster as well. Your afts will be handed to the Prime when you all return!_::

After a little twittering noise, Jitter disconnected and Renegade's tanks gurgled again and her fans began to hiss. 'Slag it to Pit, can _anything _go right for once?'

Renegade was met at the gates of the NEST base and found that she was the first one returned of the Autobots, Only then did she find out that every single Robot had left the base for 'Missions' and this left Jitter all by himself.

"Renegade and Howlback have returned" a young Officer on the gates said into his radio, "Awaiting the other Autobots."

Renegade made it into the gates before transforming again, startling all the new, younger NEST soldiers and running to the side of the building and purging the vile fuel from her tanks.

Howlback transformed from her and Renegade sent her a seething glance, "You get your aft in there and _you _can explain what you did in Atlanta! I'm not going to be part of your little demolition missions when it can get me into trouble!"

"Whatever" Howlback snarled, "That's the last time I tell you anything that concerns our Race!" The Panther stormed away and Renegade spat the fuel from her tanks, her Processor buzzing almost painfully.

She looked to the young Soldiers watching her from the Gates before yelling, "What? Haven't seen a Robot be sick before? Primus…learn some manners will you?" she stood straight and turned on her pedes, stumbling a little bit before reaching her way to the doors of the Base.

…

"Renegade got Organic Poisoning?" Jitter didn't look happy in the slightest when he caught sight of a very unwell Renegade. Her faceplates were starting to look flushed with Energon and the minute she reached her personal bay, she collapsed on her aft and lowered her helm between her legs. "I feel like I have been hit by Prime," she muttered. "Jitter…make it go away."

Jitter hesitated at the sorry state the Frontliner was in before sending a venomous glance to Howlback, "What did you do? First all I hear over the news is that the Base at Roswell Atlanta is blown to bits and now you drag Renegade back like this!"

"She consumed the fuel! Not me…" Howlback sniffed, "I only had her drag me around half the country."

Jitter sighed before climbing back up to his Bay and grabbing an assortment of things before pouring it into a cube. The Liquids he put in it began to glow a bright pink colour and he called out, "Renegade, you're going to have to get up and get it yourself; I can't carry it over there."

Renegade struggled up to her pedes and dragged her frame through her Bay and Bumblebee's before reaching Jitter's and picking up the small cube he had prepared. She gulped the whole thing down before noticing the vile taste and began to choke.

"Ugh you're the one trying to poison me" she accused the smaller Medic, "What in the Pit is that?"

"I'm trying to help you," Jitter snapped up at her, "It's going to clean your tanks out and you'll be fine. It may be vile but it won't be the thing to kill you."

'_All Autobots, MTAR and Debriefing is scheduled in fifteen minutes' _an Officers voice sounded over the PA, grabbing everyone attention. _'Please report to Hangar 14, Mirage report to Bay 23, Sideswipe Bay 37 for Weapons Assessment. Renegade and Bumblebee, Bay 20 for Training Debrief, Howlback Bay 25 for Reflection Meeting.'_

"Ugh" Renegade mumbled after the PA crackled off, "Primus I hate these new Soldiers, if they didn't stop dying, it would be a lot easier on us." She started to walk from the Autobots Personal Hangars and Bays to cross the other side of the Base to the Main Functions room where all the Military Officers were stationed and where all the main Meetings and Mission Handling was held.

Upon reaching the other building, Renegade heard the alarms sound as the Autobots began to move in and transform, she walked through the Hangars, past the Humans and the mills of Computers and Cameras around them to make her way to the designated Bay where Bumblebee already was.

"Alright" one of Senior Militants said as he saw her approaching, "All you newbies here get used to seeing these ones around. You have already been introduced to Bumblebee, this one here is Renegade, A former Decepticon who will be able to show you how you can bring one down to their knees for the killing blow."

There were murmurs of unease when she came over, but Renegade held up her servos, her optics sweeping over the squad of fresh, young faces. "You're going to get used to my face and my voice alright! Now I am not in the best of moods today and grind me the wrong way will land you walking out those doors!"

She made sure she had everyone attention before saying, "Yes I am a Former Decepticon, you have already been taught that they are the enemy! I'm here to make sure you guys are able to take them down when the Autobots or I are unable to come and save you."

She banged the heavy armour on her chest before gesturing to the slimmer form of Bumblebee comparing their frames before stating, "I am a Frontliner, built for Battle, the one they send in first. You will come across a lot of Decepticon's built like me, so firing bullets and missiles at them without knowing what to hit is going to be useless."

She gestured Bumblebee forward, placing a servo on his smaller chest. "Smaller guys like this are a little easier to take down, Bumblebee is considered the second line of defence so ultimately it's up to me, my partner Howlback and Sideswipe to try and take down the Decepticon Frontliner's before they cause too much damage."

She turned Bumblebee around and showed the Soldiers the back of his neck, "Primus Forbid that you happen to come across a heavily armoured Robot such as myself, your best bet is to go for the back of the head where the cables are. If not, the Head in general is the place to go, because you aren't going to get very far if they have armour like a tank!"

She looked at all the attentive faces of the young Soldier's before releasing Bumblebee and letting him stand back up and adjust his helm. "Before I stand back and let the others take back over do you have any questions?"

"If you're a Decepticon, why haven't the Autobots taken you down yet?"

Renegade sighed at the question, gripping her ridge very much how Prime did. "I am no longer considered a Decepticon," she stated back to the Soldiers, "Long story short, if any of my former Decepticon Comrades were to see me, they have orders to offline me. I am on Neutral ground and have decided to help the Autobots in their Endeavours."

"What sort of Robot is your Partner?"

"Again" Renegade said, feeling a little annoyed, "You are Grade 1 Soldiers that aren't permitted to work with Howlback nor myself. Howlback is a very dangerous 'Bot primarily known as a Beast Bot. She is one of _three _on Earth and not to be messed with unless you value your lives."

"So how come we can't work with you?"

Renegade sent an exasperated glance to Bumblebee before holding out her clawed servo's, "We're considered 'High Risk' Robots, people like Major Lennox and his team are allowed to work with Robots, such as Howlback, myself, Sideswipe, Ironhide and Optimus Prime. We go in first and we are the most targeted in Battle."

She waited for another question, but when silence ensued, she said in the 'final' tone, "Now, all you have to do is listen, complete your training regime and stay _alive_. You won't do any good in this Team if you're offlined."

She stepped back and let the Trainer and Sergeant step back forward to address the new Soldiers who pulled Bumblebee for a demonstration, to show them how they can go for the headshot when pit against Decepticon's.

When she was satisfied that she wasn't needed, Renegade turned her attention to the Prime who was parked at the front of the Hangar. Ironhide and Ratchet had transformed and were hovering around their Leader and when Renegade saw what Prime was parked in front of, she felt her tanks fill with burning acid.

"CIA is up my ass about this Mystery Raid in the Middle East and the Base at Roswell being infiltrated and _destroyed_. So it's time to come clean, was your unit involved?"

A group of Officials come striding into the Hangar, the woman almost seemed to drag Lennox by the ear, his head lowered and stuttering as he spoke to her. "I'm not sure ma'am," he muttered.

"Well as a Director of National Intelligence" she stated firmly, "I am fond of _intelligent _answers."

"Well I can't really tell you definitively, these Autobots are like teenage kids, they like to sneak out of the house every once and a while." Lennox tried to state before the woman cut him off again, "Are you in _command _Colonel Lennox or are you _not_?"

Renegade felt almost sorry for Lennox as he was ground upon by the Femme who thought she held supreme authority. Clenching her servos and readying her defence, Renegade followed the group of people as they approached the table and to Prime.

The other Robots followed pursuit, Mirage transforming and standing beside Ironhide who was speaking to Wheeljack.

The Scientist looked down to the humans and waved his servo out, "Ah good" he burst out in a chirpy voice, "They're here, 'me name's Wheeljack and I do hope you have answers for 'im." He gestured to the still very silent Prime, "I've never seen him so upset."

The gazes were put back on Prime and Lennox called out, "Optimus, you remember Charlotte Mearing, our Director of National Intelligence?"

They stood at the table and Mirage waved his servos out, "Ah he's in a bad mood" he drawled, "He's not talking to anybody today."

Renegade could vouch for that and opted to stand a little distance back, Optimus was about to snap, she could see the smoke rising from his stacks and it concerned the little item sitting in front of him.

"What's this?" Mearing asked almost sarcastically leaning against the table, "Is this the silent treatment?"

Ironhide shook his head from beside Renegade, who mimicked his head shaking, her servos folded across her chassis. "We've seen that" he rumbled, "And this is not that."

"Definitely not" Wheeljack parroted.

"This is worse," Ironhide growled before walking to the Peterbilt and thumping his servo on the roof. "Prime!" he shouted, "Make something of yourself!" there was a heavy, metallic thump and Ironhide turned back to Renegade before looking back to Lennox and Mearing, "He's _pissed_."

Renegade hadn't seen Prime transform so fast since the War back on Cybertron. There were the snaps and groans of his joints grinding against each other before his frame appeared. He knelt down on his pedes, his fists slamming down on the concrete.

It shocked all the Autobots back and Mearing looked almost bemused at his actions. "You _lied _to us" he almost shouted, "Everything you humans know of our Planet, we were told it had all been shared!"

He thrust a finger to the small silver object, "So why was _this _found in human possession?" Prime was furious, Renegade was almost glad that she wasn't on the receiving end of his fury. Mearing was steadily looking more concerned as Prime hulked over her she tried to explain herself, but to no avail; the bulk of the damage had been done.

From the other side of the Hangar, Renegade caught sight of the snarling Howlback. The Beast Bot's optics flickering before the Panther stormed from the Hangar.

Makin sure that everything would be fine without her there, Renegade quietly excused herself and raced from the Hangar after her Partner who was walking down the tarmac. "Where do you think you're going?" Renegade shouted after her, "Howlback stop and tell me what in the Pit is wrong with you!"

Howlback spun around and glared at Renegade, "Why would you care?" she snarled, "You haven't given a frag ever since we came here, I've done my own thing and you have done yours and I think that's how it should stay!"

"What have you done?" Renegade shouted, "Howlback we're supposed to stick together, if I find out that you have done anything to hurt anybody on this Base! _I'll be the one to offline you_."

* * *

><p>Renegade could only sit and watch at the Base as Optimus prepared a ship.<p>

The Autobots had found out that the _Ark _that had left Cybertron centuries ago had crash landed on the Moon. Optimus had acted fast and prepared a whole mission to get there before the Decepticon's.

He assigned himself and Ratchet to go and retrieve the precious cargo.

On that particular day, it was Renegade's turn to get the glare down from the human designated Charlotte Mearing.

Every Robot on the base had their aft chewed out by the cranky and bemused Femme Human except the three Decepticon's on base. And Renegade wasn't going to go down without a fight. Her pride just didn't allow it.

"So you three are the infamous Decepticon's that they let roam about the base without a leash?" was her first crude comment later on that morning after Prime had left. Renegade looked up from her weapons in her Hangar to narrow her optics at her.

"What did you say?"

Jitter stared at the human incredulously as she invaded their private, living areas and Howlback simply growled from her own Hangar.

"A leash?" Renegade continued, "Just to let you know, we are considered part of this team and we will not allow ourselves to be talked down upon by some human who thinks she has superiority over us."

"Well last I recall" Mearing said briskly, "Our Government is kind enough to let your species stay here, you are refugees and you follow the rules given to you by us. The Autobots may be kind enough to let you stay, but I certainly will not tolerate you walking around."

"You're going to deprive us of our freedom around where we live?" Howlback's unimpressed voice sounded out over the Hangars, "Who gives _you _the authority over _us_? We follow orders from the _Prime_. There is a difference."

There was a tense silence and Mearing looked down to some papers she had in her hand. "So it says here that the Panther 'Howlback' is a 'Beast Bot'." She looked up at Renegade, "You are the 'Front Liner Renegade Frontslayer'?"

Her eyes then fell on Jitter, "What are you?" she stated simply. "I believe you are not on the Registry of Autobot Refugees here."

The Microbot looked almost offended before snapping, "Search Jitter-Bot! I am a Medic here on base. All you have to do is ask the Prime and Ratchet and they will be able to _both _verify who I am and _what _I do."

Mearing looked unimpressed, "Disrespecting a Federal Agent is almost treason you know. So whilst I am on base, I do not want to see you wandering around. What happens here is between the _Autobots_ and us. You are all deemed a threat to our security, you are all lucky that I won't have you confined behind bars, simply for being here."

"What in the Pit have we done wrong now?" Howlback suddenly roared, her claws slicing the concrete. "You have implied that you will keep us behind bars for simply being here? I will not tolerate such ignorance. I didn't see _you _in Mission City; I also don't recall seeing _you _in Egypt either."

Howlback was in a foul mood and it was only increasing by the second, it was the standoff between the Beast Bot and the human. The alarms sounded in the Hangars, alerting the other Autobots and Renegade got to her pedes and stared down at the human eerily. "You can't confine us in our own home!"

"What's going on here?" came the rough voice of Ironhide, "Howlback! Stand down; what do you think you are doing?"

Howlback sent a nasty glance to Ironhide before roaring, "She is going to put us behind bars for living here, Inform me of what I have done wrong now? I have done nothing but sit in my Hangar!"

"Ms Mearing" Lennox called out looking almost uncertain, "Please be aware that these three are part of the team. They are no threat, there's no need to put them behind bars. They live here as do all the other Autobots."

"Even I agree to that" Ironhide growled, "Why the need?"

"I do not trust the Decepticon's after what they did in Egypt!" Mearing said coldly, "They are the enemy, regardless. Red optics is the sign of evil; didn't you learn that in training?"

Renegade couldn't help herself then and bent down on her pedes, her face looming in front of Mearing's. "Can you naturally change the colours of your eyes?" she asked simply.

"No…" came the unsure reply.

"Well neither can I" Renegade said indignantly, "So stop expecting my optics to turn blue overnight alright! It's not an easy task."

She got back up to her pedes and sent a seething glance to Ironhide, "_Organics_" she hissed before storming from the Hangar, _"Better off without them_."


	16. Chapter 16

Despite Mearing's attempts at trying to keep Howlback and Renegade away from _Autobot _affairs, they both come to realise that Prime and Ratchet had bought back the frame of the once great Sentinel Prime.

Though his red frame dull and Sparkless, Renegade couldn't help but feel her own Spark shudder in anticipation, waiting for a fight to break out once he was going to be bought back online. She had only heard stories about him from her Opiluk and later on…the Decepticon's.

She hadn't even been sparked when Sentinel passed the title of 'Prime' to Alpha Trion before disappearing into the Stars.

Now, the way she heard Optimus praise him, he must have been a formidable Autobot back in the days of the Early Wars on Cybertron. One that she wouldn't want to cross right away, she would have to keep her distance if she wanted to remain online.

"What do you know of Sentinel Prime?" Mearing demanded of Renegade when she approached the Hangar where Sentinel was being propped up against massive steel berths.

Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Mirage and Wheeljack all shrugged their servos.

"I hadn't even been Sparked yet" Renegade defended herself, "This was long before my time, you might have to ask the old-timers over there, they might know a story or two about Sentinel Prime, but I highly doubt it. I think the Howler is the only one that knows something about him."

She sent a glance to Prime, Ironhide and Ratchet standing in the opposite Hangar with the Frame of Sentinel before looking back to the rest of the Autobots standing in line with her unable to get past because of Mearing.

"So what do we do?" Sideswipe muttered, looking around the Hangar's. "We have no business with this other 'Prime', do we just go back to our Bays and wait for further orders?" There were nods of agreement and Mearing went to go say something, opening her mouth before the rumbling of Prime's voice was heard.

"I'd like all of you to go to the main Hangar; you will wait for further instructions. Ratchet, Ironhide, you will do the same. If anything is to go wrong, all of you will be safe."

"Good ol' Prime" Renegade muttered, "Making sure that we won't be the ones that are killed first."

"Well at least this 'Sentinel Prime' won't know who you are Renegade" Wheeljack muttered, "He won't know who any of us are. He could see us as enemies for all we know."

The robots all transformed into their Alt Modes and left the last Hangar to retreat to the Main. They all chose a spot to park and sat in awkward silence, waiting for Prime's orders to come through the Intercom.

Several times, Renegade went to start a conversation, but it quickly died down on her vocals.

'_Do you think everything is going to be okay?'_

Her hesitant voice flickered over the Bonds that she shared with Bumblebee, _'What happens if he deems me a threat and obliterates me even before Optimus can explain himself?"_

"_I doubt that will happen everybody will be keeping an eye out on not only Sentinel but for your safety as well Firefly. Everything will be fine; Optimus is good at intervening and explaining his actions.'_

On the other end of the Hangar, there was a chirping noise and Renegade scanned the area, there was nobody else in the Hangar before she thought to herself idly. _'I hope he doesn't decide to squish the Jitter-Bot.'_

After another tense moment, Renegade couldn't bear the static that had started to run through her wires as her anxiety increased. Pulling out from her designated Base, she rolled out from the Hangar, pausing briefly when Ironhide asked where she was going over the intercom.

_::I'm going outside to see if I can find Howlback:: _

She rolled for the doors and finished the rest of her sentence, _::I've said some pretty awful stuff to her and I think I might apologise before she starts brooding even worse::_

Her scanners located Howlback out the side of the building hiding in the shadows. Ever since their incident, things had been on shaky grounds with the two Frontliner's and Renegade couldn't help but feel an ominous feeling that something had changed within her partner.

"Things aren't going to stay the same you know" the Panther's voice came out from the darkness, "Don't think you can settle down and be happy Renegade. 'Con's like us aren't supposed to be happy."

Renegade let a hiss escape her fans, "You have to stop being so negative Howlback, you don't want yourself to be happy, you're stopping yourself. Why can't you at least accept the fact that the Autobots have helped us?"

"I can't" Howlback seethed, "They have helped _you_, they haven't helped _me_. I'm tired of being stared down upon and treated like filth for _what_ I am. I know I am a Beast Bot and I know that I'm a Decepticon and that isn't going to change. There's nothing you can do about it Renegade so stop trying to interfere with my decisions."

Red optics bored into each other's and Renegade had a sneaking suspicion that Howlback was up to something.

"You don't want to make the wrong decision Howlback," she warned even without realising it, "You don't want to sacrifice everything that we had worked for, there will be consequences."

A soft snarl escaped Howlback, "You're not as strong as what you think you are Renegade," she said steadily, "If a showdown between us were to happen, you will lose."

Renegade began to bristle at the accusation and the apparent threat; she readied her vocals to growl back at Howlback, flexing her clawed servos before she heard a familiar voice scream out past the silent night.

"DO NOT HIT MY CAR! IT'S A COLLECTORS ITEM!"

Alarm bells sounded and Renegade strode out of the darkness of the building and to the steel fences adorned with razor wire to see a small yellow Datsun try and breach the boom gates leading into the entrance.

The barriers suddenly shot up, making the car flip onto its front wheels with a series of clanks and shrieks. Alarms shrieked and the NEST officials all went running forward holding out their guns and flinging the doors open whilst the people inside yelled out in shock and horror.

"Is that…?"

Renegade leant over the fence and saw the familiar form of Sam Witwicky fighting with one of the officials trying to get the gun away. His face was red and the veins on his forehead seemed to be palpitating as he struggled with the Officers.

They both fell onto the bonnet of the small car before tumbling onto the asphalt of the road and from the dim light; Renegade sliced the razor wire before jumping over the fence and trying to break up the fight.

"Hey, hey, HEY!" she shouted at the squabbling humans, bending down and trying to separate them as the Officers all kept their guns on the ready to shoot Sam.

Sam looked up and saw the familiar frame of Renegade before struggling up and pointing to her.

"She knows me!" he reasoned, his voice still in the volumes of shouting, "Renegade knows who I am! Keep your hands off me!"

The Officer pinned him down again as Renegade shouted angrily to the others to call out the Prime. She saw Sam grab a small radio from the officer's pocket and he screamed into the receiver.

"BEE! IS BEE IN THERE?"

Sam was being handcuffed before she knew it and Renegade bent down and threw out her servos, shooing the Militants away and getting ready to pick Sam up and take him inside the building ignoring the orders and dismayed yells she was getting.

She saw the guns being aimed at her and Renegade picked Sam up in her massive servos and held them out.

"Are you going to shoot me now?" she exclaimed angrily, "Of course go and try to shoot the Decepticon! Then your afts will be handed to the Prime!"

"Come on Renegade!" a Senior Militant broke in, holding his gun to the concrete. "Don't do this to us okay? We're just trying to do our job and you aren't making it easy, just put him down and everything will be fine."

"I have a hard time believing you!" Renegade narrowed her optics at the Militant, recognising him from around the Base, she went to go put Sam back down onto the concrete, watching the guns on her wearily before there was a roar of an engine and the sounds of fences and chains snapping.

Bright light suddenly flared out around them as Renegade put Sam on the earth, she saw Bumblebee tumble out onto the concrete, snapping the steel fences and standing in front of her protectively.

He seemed to tell off the Officers for holding their guns to her and Sam and he defiantly stood his ground as the Officers reluctantly stepped away, not wanting to start a fight with the Robots, especially when Howlback decided to poke her head out and see what the commotion was.

Bumblebee spun right around to Renegade, checking her over in case there were any wounds on her frame and she waved him off casually, assuring him that she was fine and he didn't have to fret.

"Come here!" Sam demanded of Bee as he stalked towards the building. Bumblebee hesitated for a second more before turning away from his Spark Mate and bending down to receive an angry lecture from Sam.

"_**Come on…Sam!" **_Bumblebee said through his radio, the snippets short and jerky.

"What is the deal huh?" Sam said, trying to explain himself his face still red from the scuffle with the Militants, "Look I know your Black Ops stuff is important, I'm not trying to diminish it or anything…or guilt trip you, but I never see you anymore!"

Bumblebee looked uncomfortable, stepping back and waving his servo's weakly. He couldn't come up with anything to say to the cranky human as he continued to rant and carry on.

"You can't come to the garage and come say hello for one night?" Sam argued before Bumblebee finally spoke, _**"Sam…that makes me…feel bad!"**_

"Yeah? Well I hope you do feel bad!" Sam scolded, "You should feel bad, look at the jalopy I'm driving. I feel bad every single day."

"Hey that's not very nice," Renegade said, her optics gleaming in the night. She came stood beside Bumblebee, resting a servo on his arm and coming to his defence.

"You're the one that wanted to be _normal_ Sam; you can't blame Bee for being unsure on what _you _wanted him to do. Besides that…We've been busy with our own affairs and being…scolded like teenagers."

"So what?" Sam challenged up at the purple 'Con, "Now you're going to tell me that you two are a pair or something another thing to why I never see you guys anymore? Look I've regretted what I have done in the past and that's why I'm trying to make amends."

"Look first off!" Renegade said, leading Bumblebee behind her as they were ushered into the building by the Militants, "Bee and I _are _together, we call it _Spark Mates_ and we got scolded like insolent Sparkling's by the Prime when he found out. Secondly…" she held out a clawed servo as Sam walked beside her, "We have been busy with our own affairs, we didn't exactly expect you to suddenly rock up in Washington. I thought after everything that has happened in the past, you wanted nothing to do with us. That's why even the Prime gave up in trying to reason with you."

They were separated, but Renegade didn't miss the new femme that Sam was with when they were led into the human entrance of the building.

::Renegade and Bumblebee:: their names buzzed over the intercoms and Ironhide didn't sound too impressed.

::You two better get your little afts back inside the Hangar! If you don't like being treated like Sparkling's, _stop _acting like ones. You have already caused enough commotion!::

His voice pinged off and Renegade look to Bee sheepishly, "What can we do around here that _will _keep us out of trouble? He's just as bad as the Hatchet!"

In response to her question, Bumblebee could only shrug his servos helplessly as they went back towards the back Hangars to where the others were stationed.

* * *

><p>Renegade had transformed back into her Alt mode and was parked innocently beside Ironhide as Sam was bought into the Hangars several breems later.<p>

Bumblebee rumbled ahead of Sam, the new girl and Lennox. The two men talking with serious looks on their faces as they zigzagged through the congregation of parked Autobots. Sam tapped Ironhide on the bonnet affectionately as he walked past and Ratchet flicked on hsi lights in greeting before Sam went and shook the little claws of Jitter, who was currently sitting atop of Ratchet's bonnet.

They disappeared around the corner and Renegade couldn't help herself but pull out from beside Ironhide and start running scans from inside the next room. Howlback paced anxiously at the back of the Hangar, her red optics flickering ominously as she looped repeatedly.

After another few breems, a blinding blue light suddenly erupted out around the whole Hangar and Renegade was the first to transform and go running to where the massive body of Sentinel was kept.

She ignored her name being called out from the other transforming Robots and rumbled over to the next room, peeking around the corner to see the massive Sentinel choke to life, his blue optics whirling around the room before drawing a large sword from his back and knocking Optimus to the concrete floor.

Renegade was a seasoned War Veteran and had seen the worst of the wars, but all she had heard about the great Sentinel Prime was stories. When she saw the massive red bulk pin down the Prime, Renegade couldn't help but cower back in terror as she had a flashback of her Opiluk telling her a terrifying story of the very Robot in front of her.

She recoiled back into herself, her chassis rumbling in panic and pedes tripping over themselves as she tumbled back.

She heard Prime try to reason, his voice rumbling out through the room. "Sentinel!" he shouted, "It is I…Optimus Prime! It is alright, you are safe."

Renegade bumped hard into the steel frame of Ironhide, her head whipping up to see him, her optics full of primal terror, he stopped her in her bid to escape. His blue optics narrowed at her terror and Renegade's vocals barely worked in her favour.

"He'll kill me," she whispered, trying to push past him, "I'm not _strong_ enough too…"

"Enough!" Ironhide growled, "It will be fine, we have to be prepared to fight for our Leader if Sentinel doesn't choose to listen, you cannot be a coward now."

She hesitated, a savage fear building up inside in frame when she watched Sentinel stand straight and allowed Optimus to stand on his pedes, watching him wearily as he did so. The air was tense and Renegade felt her fans flicker on, as she grew more anxious.

_::I'm here Renegade:: _Bumblebee's voice came through their bond, _::I won't let anything happen to you. Please settle down, you're making me anxious as well::_

::_Enough with the nonsense_:: Howlback scolded her, ::_You are stronger than this! They are only silly stories!_::

Renegade only recoiled further shielding her eyes and cowering beside Ironhide as she felt the scathing glance of Sentinel fall upon the congregated robots.

"The War!" he rumbled in an ancient, booming voice, "What happened with the War?"

"The War was lost," Optimus said standing straight, Cybertron is nothing but a barren wasteland; we have taken refuge here on planet Earth. Its human race is our ally."

Sentinel sent another glance around the Hangar, his faceplates turning at the sight of the humans stationed all around him.

"My ship…It came under fire from the Decepticon's! The Pillars! Where are they?"

Sentinel stopped in questions, when his optics locked with Renegades. Her plates started to glow blue and she struggled against Ironhide, breaking from his grasp as Sentinel boomed, "Why is there a Decepticon among us? They are the reason WHY I was shot down!"

Optimus held out his servos, "This is a special case Sentinel, Renegade Frontslayer is long after your time. She is nothing but a mere Youngling in your eyes and has done nothing wrong by us ever since we found her!"

"My Opiluk was right!" Renegade choked out, "He is… I have to get out of here!" she raced from the Hangar, her pedes retracted and her wheels appeared down before transforming into her Alt mode and roaring from the Department altogether

* * *

><p><em>::Renegade, please come home… We are all worried about you and it's not making you look very good in that Mearing's books. She thinks you defected::<em>

_::I don't really want to come back with all that mess happening back at Base Bee, I don't understand what happened the other cycle. It just…I've never felt so afraid in all of my long life. It truly terrified me::_

_:: That's because you grew up listening to the stories that your Opiluk told you about him and the ones that Howlback has aren't very nice either. You fear the unknown Firefly and Sentinel is part of the ancient past::_

_::Everyone says that about Megatron, but I have grown used to his antics and he has become predictable. He is still lethal but we all don't fear him as much as we used to. I guess you're right about Sentinel, he is an Ancient…I don't know whether to be afraid or to respect him as much as he is an Autobot::_

_::Respect him is what the rest of us has done Firefly, but I have been sent to look over Sam after the Decepticon attack. That's where we need you back, you know these Robots better than any of us and Optimus still has good faith that you will come home::_

_::How has Sentinel reacted to Howlback?::_

_::She has retreated as well; a meeting between those two will not be very nice. But without you, she is starting to decline. Ironhide is keeping watch over her until you return, which will be soon hopefully::_

Renegade cruised down the highways on the outskirts of Washington as she spoke to Bumblebee via their private links. It had been four Earth days since she had fled the Autobot base in terror.

She had still not gathered the courage to return and see Sentinel eye to eye but as she neared Washington, the desire to return home was becoming stronger by the day. She knew that Howlback would start declining days after she left, but the Beast Bot was a lot more stronger than the other Symbiotic 'Bots out there and could go at least a month until her systems started to shut down.

On the other hand, she missed Bumblebee and she wanted to go back to him so he could comfort her and make her feel better about this completely messed up situation that they were currently in.

_::I'll come back to base when I'm ready:: _she finally said over the link, _::Just give me a few more cycles to think about it, you don't have to be worried. I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself…Seasoned War Veteran remember?::_

Bumblebee sounded a little less enthused but he relented.

_::Alright Firefly, I'm not at the base myself. I'm helping Sam out with some information we got about the Decepticon's and the Moon Mission. If the Authorities knew what we were up to, we could be in a lot of trouble. We are on the Highway now, it's urgent on what we have. Sam is ringing Mearing now::_

_::That's our specialty isn't it Bee? I'm on the Highway now…I'm getting odd signals coming… I'll get back to you, I have to hurry…::_

_::Renegade!::_

…

::Howlback!::

Renegade sped down the highway, her engine roaring as she bypassed the traffic of Washington and tried to get to the base.

::You have to get Jitter-Bot and meet me outside! I am getting energon readings from the Decepticon's and they are moving in fast, Sam has information and it looks like we're in for an attack!::

Renegade's message was heard, but she didn't get an answer back from the Beast Bot. She got pulled up at the docks where the traffic was starting to jam up into the city and she cursed loudly, trying to find a way around the blockage so she could get to Howlback.

On the inside of her windshield, she began to run several scans and opened another holographic screen which showed the signatures of the Autobots all coming into the general vicinity of the NEST Base and three enemies closing in on the signature of Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Mirage.

There was a small beep, Renegade saw two signatures leave the NEST Base and come towards her. Howlback had heard her and was coming her way along with Jitter. Renegade turned down a one-way street, growling her engine at any cars that wanted to get in her way before she was able to transform in between several building and meet up with Howlback.

The Beast Bot had her own scans running and she waited for Renegade to transform so she could connect to the frame before sharing the information she had gathered.

"They're drones," she said, connecting her scans with Renegade's as Jitter went straight to work on their diagnostics and performance levels.

"We have to hurry" his little voice chirped over the intercom, "There are more signatures coming and we have to rally up with the Autobots, have we got any information on what has happened?"

"No!" Renegade said, screeching back out to the street and zooming off down the road to follow the threat of the Decepticon's, "Look, Jitter, I'll open up the link I have with Bumblebee and you can get the information off him. Howlback and I have work to do."

She forced open her Bonds with Bumblebee, allowing Jitter to hack in, she could feel Bee's uncertainty until he found out who it was before giving the small medic the information and blanking out again.

Jitter analysed the information before sharing it with Renegade and Howlback, "Sam and an 'Agent Simmons' went and spoke to the Russian's about their escapades to the moon. They have found that there was activity on the moon long before the American's got there. The Decepticon's had anticipated this and stole _hundreds _of pillars and hid them and left Sentinel in the ship until the Autobots found out."

"So they knew this was going to happen?" Renegade asked as she took the roads onto the highway, "Why leave him in there when he is the only one that can control the pillars?"

"Because Prime is the only one that could have brought him back to life!" Howlback spat, "What use is an offlined 'Bot?"

"So they're after Sentinel?" Renegade broke in, "That's understandable, has everyone else been alerted of this?"

"Yes!"

"Well then…let's do this shall we?" Renegade asked, as she rapidly sped down the road and towards the Decepticon's and Bumblebee.

…

It was carnage as Renegade caught up, she saw that the Autobots had joined up with Sentinel. There were three Decepticon's, ones that Renegade had never seen before, she accelerated forward, catching sight of the bright yellow Camaro behind the large Fire Truck that would be Sentinel Prime.

_::Bumblebee, move aside…I'm coming in, please be careful!::_

Renegade saw a beast-like Decepticon make its move and all she saw was its jowls opening, getting ready to land on Bumblebee and rip him apart.

"NO!"

Renegade transformed quickly, her pedes coming down as wheels as she raced along the road and extending out her large blue energon swords. She saw Mirage jump up and two large whips extended from his arms, grabbing the beast Decepticon and dragging him down and destroying it.

::Keep going!:: Renegade ordered over the Intercom, ::Howlback and I have you covered::

She zoomed ahead, slashing away everything that got in her path, racing up behind the other Decepticon's. Two large cannons appeared on her shoulders just in front of her large door wings and she let loose several plasma shots ring out and disable another Decepticon in front of her.

The need to protect Bumblebee from harm was the only thing on her mind, all savagery at the forefront of her mind and all battle gear in her arsenal at the ready.

Cars were flying everywhere, flames and bullets flying everywhere around her. But being a heavily built Frontliner, Renegade was able to brush this off rather easily and surge forward with all her might, rage burning her wires.

A 'Con was running fast in front of the Autobots, catching up to Sentinel so it was left up to Renegade to stop it and keep him from creating more obstacles for the Autobots trying to catch up.

She raced ahead in front of Bumblebee, Mirage and Sideswipe, only to let loose the savage Howlback from her frame.

The Beast transformed with ease and the Beast was running full pelt down the highway and catching up to this 'Con, letting loose her cannons mercilessly as Renegade ran alongside the other Robots and clearing the carnage that was thrown in front of them.

The 'Con threw a truck, knocking it back and trying to dodge Howlback, but she was able to dodge it with ease, but it came hurtling towards the others.

Renegade was able to hear Sam cry out in horror as the truck exploded in front of them before she heard him shout out her name.

"Renegade!"

Readying her stance as she moved along, Renegade threw her swords forward knocking the truck aside as the flames engulfed her. The signs around her began to fall and through the blaze, she saw Bumblebee transform into his Bi-pedal mode to jump over the wreckage, throwing Sam forward.

In an amazing stunt and with incredible luck, he was able to transform back and get Sam back inside him safely as she escaped the inferno around her.

"Get back to NEST" she yelled at the other Robots, "Get back there NOW! Howlback, you accompany them and I'll follow on behind!"

Only when everybody obeyed what she said, Renegade felt a tiny flicker of smugness wash over her frame. It felt almost _good _to be back in charge again, she wouldn't mind doing it more often.


End file.
